Harry Potter and the Sex Change of Hogwarts
by Caspre
Summary: Thanks to Malfoy, Harry's been cursed into a girl! His revenge..seducing him--but there are other things to consider..like Malfoy's sex-appeal that he just cannot ignore..and of course the guys' reaction in his dorm when he wants to get changed! :D
1. Prologue

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_**Disclaimer: I do NOT like the band **_**Scouting for Girls_! Oh and I don't own Harry Potter. I just bought Hogwarts though- I move in Sunday. ;D Oh and enjoy- this took effing ages but people seem to like it!_**

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**Harry Potter and the Sex Change of Hogwarts**

**By Caspre**

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**Chapter I**

**Prologue**

I'm fighting through the mist of the bitter evening, and where the hell is he? He promised to be here, didn't he? What the fuck is his problem? Does he think he's being clever by making me wait?

Enough. I'm leaving. I turn around and head the way back I came.

The castle soon looms into view, but Filch's rickety frame doesn't quite penetrate the mist in time.

"Student out of bed, eh?" He practically squeals in glee, "Come with me my boy."

Shit. I really should've brought the invisibility cloak. What do I do? I have two choices: be a little first year and toddle off with the caretaker, or make a break for it. He'll forget it was me by the morning, after he's curled up in bed with his skanky cat and a bottle of firewhisky. So I bolt.

"OY! GET BACK HERE!" Filch wheezes. I don't give a damn. I'm already too pissed that Malfoy has totally stood me up.

Wait.

Rephrase. That sounded a bit gay, didn't it?

Am I actually pissed that he didn't show up?

Because yeah, it's a bit dickwad-ish, but at least I don't have to waste my time duelling that jumped-up little ferret.

There's the Pink Lady. What's the password again...?

"I'm waiting, young man!"

Shit. Is Hermione back from the library yet?

"Hello, Potter." A horribly familiar drawl. It's that bloody ferret. And is that his wand poking into the back of my neck?

_Shit!_


	2. The impossible

**Chapter II**

**The Impossible...  
**

"What the _hell_do you want, Malfoy?" I hiss. I can't help wince as he twists the point of his wand harder into my neck. I search desperately for someone, _anyone_, but the corridor is deserted, even the bastard's fat-assed cronies aren't here.

"What do I want, Potter? Good question." Malfoy replied in a lulling whisper, "Every day, I hear another rumour, another annecdote about poor little orphan boy, the brave man against the Dark Lord, the wonderful wizard on a broomstick, the skinny, speccy, teacher's pet to Dumbledore. I'm sick of it." He drives his wand harder into my neck; it feels like he's killing my nerves. I can't help but cry out, like a girl. "No one wants to hear about you anymore, Potter. The whole fucking wizard world is done with you, especially me."

"What are you gonna do then?" You try to challenge him, but it sounds more like you're terrified, even if you want to seem confident. You can't help but notice that your wand is so close, just in your pocket, but if you make one move, Malfoy will definitely put a stop to it.

"I'm going to make you disappear." He hisses and those words make my heart freeze. I know the guys a bit dark, but what the hell is he planning now? "I'm going to change you, Potter, so no one will recognize you, no one will know you exist. You'll feel just like that weasel friend of yours, completely insignificant. No special treatment, no pardons when you break the rules. It'll be like you finally lost your luck and the Dark Lord got you in the dead of the night."

"What-the-f-" I try and say, but Malfoy has an iron hold around my throat now. Breathing in deeply, and holding me even closer- which totally freaks me out- he whispers:

"See you, Potter, or not..._Feminiscaren!_

And everything is gone.

I wake...in the hospital wing, I discover, after everything comes into focus. I reach for my glasses, but notice that everything is clear. Tentatively, I touch my face, and find that I'm not already wearing them. What the hell?

Is this that bastard's idea of a disappearing act? Disappearing my bad eyesight?

I chuckle darkly to myself, and then realize that I haven't disappeared at all.

Strange.

I also realize that...something's different about my laugh. It sounds more like running water than a rumbling avalanche, almost...girly.

But I'm distracted when thank god, Ron stumbles in! Half dressed- I can see his pyjama bottoms under his school robes. He must've been so worried about me that he couldn't even get dressed quick enough. Doesn't sound like insensitive Ron, but I'm willing to accept this new side of him. I call out to him in relief.

"There you are! Listen what-?" I stop suddenly. My voice...it's gone a lot higher than I thought. It's like I've gone back a few years and I'm all falcetto again. What the hell? Just what kind of curse has Malfoy put on me?

Ron has stopped and is looking right at me, perplexed. I'm too busy clutching my throat to say anything, so he shakes his head and walks right past me and into Madam Pomfrey's office, checking the beds as he does.

"Madam Pomfrey?" I hear him call, "You haven't seen Harry around? Harry Potter?"

...Ok, now I'm confused.

"Um..." I begin, "Ron!" I can't help but sound incredulous, and high pitched.

Ron's head appears from around the door and he looks at me in surprise, as if he's never seen me in his life.

"Hi?" I try, waving a hand. Ronald blinks.

"...Hi." He replies, his ears tinted with pink, and hastily ducks back into the office, and continues: "You see...he didn't come back to the common room last night."

"Yeah, because I've been in the hospital wing!" I say indignantly, "God, I'm right here, and you don't even ask _why_?"

There's a pause. I can't see Ron's reaction.

"...Is there something wrong with her?" He asks Madam Pomfrey. My blood boils.

"...Her?" I spit furiously, "What the hell's your problem, mate? Malfoy's done something to my voice, that's all. No need for fucking insults, is there?"

At this, Madam Pomfrey bustles out of her office, looking formidable, "Mind your language, young lady." _Young Lady? _She turns to Ron, who's come out after her, "I don't think I've seen her before- a new student I suppose. She was found unconcious outside your common room. Do you recognize her from your house at all?"

"Oh so you're in on the joke too?" I practically squeak, because I'm getting pretty frustrated that a member of staff would be acting like such a jerk, "Look, where's Hermione, maybe she'll be a bit more mature about this all!"

"You know Miss Granger then?" Madam Pomfrey asks, surprised at my outburst and seeming oblivious to my rudeness.

"Well_ yeah._" I say loudly, "All three of us have been in here quite a lot, don't you remember? You're always going on about all the mess we get ourselves into!"

Both her and Ron look confused.

"Who_ are _you?" Ron asks.

"HARRY!" I roar, but it comes out as a furious shriek, "I'm not in the MOOD, Ron!"

"...What the hell?" Ron says, looking thoroughly freaked, "What are you on about?"

"Dear, I think you've had a nasty bump to the head." Madam Pomfrey coos, "Can you not remember your real name at all? What house you're in?"

"Griffyndor, because I'm Harry Potter." I repeat stubbornly.

"You've got some complex there." Ron says, shaking his head. God, I feel like I could burst. Instead I put my head in my hands t stop myself hitting something, and to my absolute shock, a load of hair falls down with it. Slowly I bring I head back up, and let a few tresses of raven black hair run through my fingers. Then I feel it's length. It reaches to my shoulders, and is straighter and neater than my hair was before. But not by much.

"What...?" I whisper. And then...a very strange possibility creeps into my mind. Forgetting the presence of Madam Pomfrey and Ron, my hands slowly and cautiously slide down...to my chest.

Oh.

My.

**GOD.**


	3. That bastard!

**Chapter III**

**That Bastard!****  
**

"No." I say again, pacing up and down by the bed. My head won't stop _spinning_,"No, no, _no _he did NOT."

"Wait..." Ron said slowly, "So you're Harry?"

"YES!" I scream, and it feels so crazy, my voice feels so slippery and light.

"And Malfoy has turned you into...a girl?"

"What do _you _think?" I snap, and motion at my chest...my _cleavage_that's peeking out through one of the hospital wing gowns. Ron doesn't need to be told twice to look at it. His grin bloody well says it all. I aim a punch, but am dismayed at how feeble it is.

"Oh God..." I groan. Ron starts to snigger. Madam Pomfrey stares at me worridely.

"I'm sorry, dear." She soothes, "But I really do think you've taken a nasty bump to the head."

I'm about to snap again, but finally my anger makes use of itself- something clicks into place.

Revenge.

And if I want to make it work, I have to play along with her little story.

"Yes..." I touch my head lightly, knowing my hands are daintier and more graceful, which freaks me out, "I remember slipping...I hit my head on the stone. I don't know what I'm on about- being Harry Potter...I really must be insane." I whimper. Ron watches me closely, probably having no idea whats going on with the sudden change of heart.

"That's it, dear, glad you have your memory back." Madam Pomfrey coos, "Now can you tell me your name?"

I think quick and fast. Any girls name, any girls name at all!

A flower?

All I can think of is Lily! No _way._

A jewel?

No too obviously made up! Just think of a name!

"Charly-no...Charlotte...nooo..._Lottie_!" I blurt out, "Wait just let me think of my surname..."

They obviously think I'm insane. But I need to think of an interesting surname, one that will last just a bit longer than necessary on the tongue...if I want my plan to work.

"Lottie...Wandcharm?" The best I can do I'm afraid.

"Right, well, Lottie..."She says slowly, under the impression that I'm about to change it again, "Are you new to Hogwarts?"

Just keep it simple, which means lying.

"No." I say shortly. "I've just never gotten into any medical trouble."

"Are you sure? Just 'slipping' and hitting your head...sounds like you're a bit of a calamity!"

"Nope." I grit out, "This is my first time. Can I go then?"

She looks at me closely, holds a cool hand to my forehead and checks for the non-existent bump from my 'fall'.

"Alright then."

"Good. Can I have my clothes back then, please?"

"Well yes...I was just curious though..." She says thoughtfully as she bustles back into her office and returns with a neatly folded stack of clothing, "They seem like boys clothes..." All three of us stare at the crisp pair of boxers at the top of the pile in silence.

"...A dare." I choke, "I lost a bet, didn't I? Had to go the whole day wearing the clothes I borrowed from a guy friend. That's all."

Silence.

"I'm not weird." I insist.

"Course not dear." Madam Pomfrey says quietly, before handing me my clothes, avoiding my gaze.

"Come on, Ron." I threaten, and we leave in silence, our footsteps echoing too loudly off the high walls of the hospital wing.

"Seriously, who _are _you?" Ron asks as soon as the huge doors close behind us. The growl of his belly tells me it's before breakfast, and also gives me an idea.

"Your typical breakfast consists of five slices of toast, with huge dollops of marmalade, two bowls of porridge and three glasses of pumpkin juice. And a boiled egg or two, depends on your mood." Hopefully that proves I'm Harry, because only Harry or Hermione would know that.

Ron just stares at me.

"Are...are you a stalker?"

"God...I'm going to have for you to wake up aren't I?"


	4. Let's get the ball rolling

**Chapter IV**

**Let's get the ball rolling!**

"Hello Ron." Hermione greets sweetly as we approach her in the Great Hall. Her face darkens when she sees me at his side. At first I think she's about to lecture me for not showing up last night, but then I realize she has no idea who I am, and I'm just some girl following Ron around. It almost makes me laugh, but right now I've got to concentrate on convincing her that I am actually Harry.

"Hermione." I sigh, "It's a long story, so you've got to listen."

"She's..._he's_...Harry." Ron says, still in a daze. The robes that I'd yanked over my Hospital Gown still doesn't quite cover this cleavage I now have and I've been trying to cover it up for the last few minutes, as Ron is being very un-gentleman like. It makes me wonder if _I'm_that pervy. Hermione simply blinks and looks into my eyes closely, perhaps scrutinizing the bright green that's staring back.

"Malfoy?" She asks, in a business fashion. I nearly fall over.

"Hermione, you can't be _this _good!" I say weakly.

"I'm not _that _good." She answers modestly, "I just saw Malfoy splitting his sides about something over there a few minutes ago when you and Ron came in." She looks at me closely, "I'm surprised at how thoroughly he's disguised you, Harry. Even your scar is gone."

"It is?" I squeal, and reach up to feel smooth, perfect skin.

"You make a very pretty girl." She says kindly. I can't help but blush. I even notice Fred and George looking over in interest and wonder if I should feel uncomfortable. In fact, I feel more confident already.

"Jealousy." Hermione continues archly, "Is such a petty thing..."

"You're going to be the laughing stock of the whole castle, Harry!" Ron tells me, none too sympathetic the bastard...

"Ronald, sometimes you have no imagination..." Hermione says, shaking her head. Ron shuffles from foot to foot and looks at the floor.

"What's the point of making him a whoopsie, then?" He mumbles grumpily.

"He could make me the laughing stock of the school for cursing my nose into a pumpkin or something," I tell him, "He said that he wanted to make me disappear..."

"But..." Ron blinks, "You're here."

"Well noticed, Ronald." Hermione says snipply, "We're going to have to go to Dumbledore to change you back; Malfoy wouldn't curse you with a spell that could be easily reversed. I don't think I've even _heard _of Gender Transformations...Professor McGonagoll never mentioned it."

"I don't want to change back." I say quickly. They stare at me, "Not because I _like _being a girl," I rush, feeling myself go red, "But if I want to get my own back on Malfoy-" A disapproving noise from Hermione, an interested one from Ron-"then I need to stay a girl."

"Harry..." Hermione says, her eyes wide, "You're not seriously saying..."

"I'm going to seduce Malfoy." I finish for her, a little loudly. A little first year looks up from her scrambled egg and I look away, blushing even more.

"Mate," Ron says, "If he recognized you when you walked in the Hall, then he's not going to fall for it if you put the moves on him. Actually, on the subject, do you _have_any moves?"

"Hermione can always alterate my hair and eyes a little bit." I argue, ignoring his last question, "It's the perfect way to do it! You spread around that I've...gone on holiday, or I've got spaggergroit or something, and then I turn up as the new girl, go to sorting- the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin the first time didn't it? I come onto Malfoy in the common room, start to flirt with him-"

"And totally piss off Pansy Parkison!" Hermione adds, starting to get excited.

"Yeah, and then just when he realizes he's fallen for me...I'll dump him, cold toad-guts style!" I finish smugly.

I watch them think, Ron chewing on his toast, Hermione stirring her cup of tea.

"It's brilliant." Ron says finally, a grin spreading across his face already.

"I can't _wait _to see that smug pug's face..." Hermione says, to herself I think, as she imagines Pansy's jealousy.

"Great." I say, feeling my adrenaline pick up, "So Hermione, you got any clothes I can borrow?"

She grins. "Of course."

When we leave together, we just so happen to pass through the doors with the bastard himself. When he catches sight of me, tears of mirth gather in his eyes and he can hardly contain his sniggers.

"Looking sexy, Potter." He says snidly. It's all I can do not to hit him.

"Jealousy," I reply loftily, "Is such a petty thing, Malfoy."

* * *

"Wow..." I whisper, as I twist an turn and see a girl copy my exact movements in the mirror. She's wearing a black skirt, with patterns of mauve and green flowers that touches her knees, a green silky top with no sleeves and a high neck and dainty silver shoes. Her shiny, chocolate brown hair has a nice fringe that falls just above her eyes. It's perfectly straight and falls past her shoulders. Her eyes are round, with delicate eyelashes, and the colour olive.

She's beautiful.

It takes a moment to realize that it's me, and I'm being completely big-headed...

But come on, I'm gorgeous!

"Very nice, Harry." Hermione beams, "Oh wait...you're going to need a new name."

"Already thought of one," I tell her, my eyes still fixed on the girl's, "Lottie Wandcharm."

Hermione snorted. "Wandcharm? That's obviously fake! I'll think of one for you...Lottie Walker?"

"Boring!" I scold, "I need a seductive name..."

"Lottie Carmichael?"

My snort of disgust tells her what I think.

"It's hard you know..." She says grumpily, "Lottie..._Hemingway!_"

"I'm sticking with Lottie Wandcharm!" I snap.

"What about just Lottie Charm?" She pleads.

"...That sounds ok. _Lottie Charm..._Yeah I can see that name being passed around the school." I say, impressed as I rub my nose, which is much smaller, a cute button nose. Even my jaw line is much more feminine. But that was from the curse, not Hermione's nice wandwork.

"Ok, Lottie." Hermione giggles, "You know, with your new hair and eyes you look wonderful. Malfoy ought to fall at your feet."

"It can't just be good looks though..." I muse, "I have to be...confident...rude...spiteful...and..."

"You could be rude to me?" Hermione suggested, "Call me mudblood in lessons?"

"Don't be stupid!" I almost yell, "I'd _never_do that, _never_!"

"I wouldn't mind, I know you wouldn't mean it..." She says meekly.

"Ron would definitely punch me." I counter. Hermione laughed.

"He wouldn't hit a girl!" She tells me.

"He would forget." I promise her.


	5. Snape's Seductive Skills

**Chapter V**

**Snape's Seductive Skills...!  
**

Hermione and I spend a few hours in her dorm (which smells much nicer than mine- like flowers and incense. There are even a few daffodils- but not the honking ones) discussing how to act like a girl. Such as not scratching profusely or obscenely, not to sit with my legs apart and to hold in any unfortunate gases. It's hard to stop giggling- a very strange sensation. But Hermione has to go and get Ginny on the subject of attracting a guy.

"What are you talking about?" Ginny grumbles as Hermione drags her through the door. I sit on the end of her bed, with my legs clamped together and my hands in my lap.

"This is Lottie Cha-" Hermione begins, hamming it up a little bit. Ginny interrupts before she can even hear my name.

"Yeah, yeah- Hi, Harry." She rolls her eyes. My mouth falls open.

"How does everyone work it out?" I squeal. Ginny just shakes her head.

"Ron told me. He thought it was too hilarious to contain," She says in a bored voice, "He also told Seamus, Dean and Neville."

Great. How am I supposed to have a secret identity if everyone knows about it? I made immediate plans to thump Ron, in the most ladylike way possible.

"I doubt they'll tell anyone, Harry." Hermione says hurridely, "And even if they do, they're not likely to warn Malfoy- if anything they'll sit back and enjoy the show!"

"It's ok, it just makes it a teensy bit more embarrassing for me..." I mutter. I look up at Ginny, the pinnacle of sexiness in our house expectantly, "So are you going to pass on your wisdom?"

Ginny flashes a cheeky grin, "If it means embarrassing the hell out of that prat, then of course. Let's start with a sexy walk."

It's harder than it looks you know, especially after she shoves some high heels on my feet. I'd have preferred some stilts. I feel like a complete prat, wobbling around like a circus performer.

"Sway your hips!" Ginny scolds, prodding me on the shoulder as I lurch past. Hermione sits in the corner laughing her head off.

"Like you could do sexier, Granger." Ginny calls, which shuts her up.

"How do women do it?" I exclaim, but I concentrate harder. The shoes clomp out a steady, purposeful rhythm on the wooden floor, and I find that the way I put my feet in front of me, my legs sway my hips for me. I catch sight of myself in the mirror as I walk past, and I even turn _myself _on. Which freaks me out, of course.

"Better!" Ginny tells me, "Try a hair toss."

I throw my hair over my shoulder with a graceful flick of my neck, watching the mocha tresses swing. I feel a cheeky smirk not unlike Ginny's creeping across my face.

"Very sexy." Ginny says approvingly as I stop in front of her.

It goes on, as she gives me the low down on flirting, playing hard to get ("Very important!") and confidence. I feel ready, which is good, because Hermione's Homework Planner trills:

"_It's half past nine, get to bed on time!"_

She blushes and murmurs something about needing an early night. Ginny and I try to control our laughter as we leave hurridely, both our hips swinging as we go.

"Well, thanks Ginny." I say, grinning widely, "Night then."

"Good luck, 'Lottie'..." Ginny snickers, "Make Malfoy fall on his arse big time."

"Will do," I say, as I make my way up to my dormitory. I pass Lavender and Parvati, who look immensely confused as I climb the staircase to the boy's dorm.

Relieved to get some rest from this confusing ordeal, I kick off my shoes with a clatter and fling myself onto my bed. There's a rumble of footsteps and the guys burst in. They all stare at me.

"...Harry?" Dean asks. I nod.

"Hey guys." I say, trying to control the heat washing over my face. I _really _hope they don't find anything to tease me about...aside from the whole being a girl thing.

"Brilliant..." Neville says shaking his head, "It's brilliant what you're going to do, Harry. We can't _wait_."

"Yeah." Seamus agrees, nodding feverently, "Make sure you tease him like hell, I mean you've got a hot body..."

"You know," I reply hotly, "It's still embarrassing even to a guy, Seamus. I don't want you slobbering over me like you to with Parvati."

He just grins as his eyes slant downwards. I seriously contemplate hitting him, or perhaps scratching his eyes out.

"Well, we just saw you going up, Harry, and everyone else seemed to want to go to bed, so-"

"Yeah we're just going to bed." Ron tells me, his eyes too innocent. I watch them all closely, wandering what they're _really _up to.

"Ok then...yeah I'm a bit sleepy myself." I say slowly, reaching for my pyjamas. They didn't move. Something clicks.

"You're not...you want to _watch _me?" I ask, aghast.

"It was Seamus' idea!" They all say hurridely. Seamus doesn't deny his disgusting crime.

"Ugh! Get some lifes, get some _girlfriends_!" I spit at them, climbing into my bed and drawing the curtains shut. I couldn't help smiling to myself though as they groaned and shuffled off to get changed themselves.

With a body like this, it should be no problem getting Malfoy to follow me to my room either...

* * *

"Right, Miss Charm, that's all your records sorted." Professor McGonagoll tells me, as the quill in front of her does all the writing, "Now it's just _you _that needs to be sorted."

"With the hat, right?" I ask innocently, "That's what my aunt told me."

"That's right." She confirms briskly, "It is rather unusual to have a student join us so late in the school course- but you have been home schooled until then so there should be no problem with keeping up with the work."

"Mm." I say, keeping it short so I'm not caught out, "I'm just glad that my father finally agreed to letting me come here- it's been hard seeing all my friends go off to Hogwarts without me..."

Thank god Hermione can spin a story like a spider can spin a web. If it were _my _story I was telling, Professor McGonagoll would've found a million holes in it in the first five minutes.

"Right well, if you could just take a seat." She motions to a little stool. It's so low- it had seemed huge when I had first sat on it that night I joined Hogwarts. Professor McGonagoll drops the hat onto my head and everything goes black.

"Aha...Potter _again._ This is the third time you've decided to bother me." The voice gets more annoying every time. As it's snide voice slips into my ear, my insides clench. This hat can't be fooled, not even by a disguise.

_Yes, it's me. _I answer in my head, _I need a favour, OK? Are you going to play along or am I going to have to stuff you back on that shelf for next year?_

"Well, I could stand to see a bit more excitement, I suppose..." It replies, "Do you favour a certain house at all?"

_Slytherin please. _

"Really? Now, I thought I'd already told you twice that Slytherin was a good choice- and on both occasions you refused!"

_Slytherin please. _I repeat forcefully.

"Well, I can't say I'm not pleased you've finally come around!" It decides. "SLYTHERIN!" It yells suddenly, making me leap out of the seat. McGonagoll's office comes back into view as she pulls the sorting hat off of my head.

"There's no need to shout." She tells it disapprovingly as she stuffs it back onto her shelf.

"Force of habit." The hat replies, before going still. I'm happy to think that I won't have to listen to it's voice until next year.

McGonagoll glares at it for a moment before turning back to me.

"Well, I think that answers your question about the house." She says shortly, "Congratulations- you are in Slytherin."

I can tell she hates me already. It makes me feel kind of hollow, seeing her distance herself from me. I feel a sudden yearning for the deep colour crimson, and the welcoming insignia of the proud lion, brave and courageous.

But then I remember my plan.

"Thanks." I say, smiling softly. "So...do I go to the common room now?"

"Oh, yes, I'll just go and get Professor Snape to show you to the Slytherin Headquarters- he's the head of your house."

"Oh." I say, feeling even worse. One to one time with Snape, however short it may be, doesn't sound pleasurable. But perhaps he'll be near to just normal mean if he doen't know I'm Harry Potter, the person he spends his whole essence hating.

* * *

Soon enough, I'm walking down the corridor in silence with Snape. He seems slightly more at ease around me, but this only makes me more uncomfortable- because it's so unnatural.

"So...Slytherin's nice?"

"Oh yes," Snape replies in a low hiss, "Quite comfortable, I think you'll find." He turns to me and gives me what I suppose he thinks is a smile. He looks like a Hippogriff high on Felix Felicius.

"...Right."

"So, how are you finding Hogwarts?" He asks, slowly catching on to conversation- perhaps it's a first time for him.

"Yes...it's nice. Different from home-schooling." I say as pleasantly as I can.

"And how are you finding...the teachers?" He says quietly, watching me with those slack, sunken eyes. Horror shoots through me. He's not...coming on to me? This _has _to be just his way of being nice...right?

"Yeah, not bad, you know. Some are quite strict. Some are so _old._" I stress the last word, praying he'll get the hint. The idea of even revealing my identity seemed like a good one as he leaned in just a little closer. We had come to a stop in a dead end.

Oh. God.

"Some are old, yes." He agrees softly, "But some are still young at heart..."

"Where's the common room?" I demand in a squeak. He smiles like a grindylow as he reaches his hand out to the wall, rests his waxy fingers on it, and hisses:

"_Snakebite..._"

The wall opens wide, revealing a tinged green light.I remember that this is the opening to the Slytherin Common Room, where I'd already been before. I heaved a sigh of relief, an obvious one, and Snape raised his eyebrows.

"See you in potions, Miss Charm." He lulls, and makes his way back through the dungeons.

I think I liked it better when he hated me.

But I suppose I have bigger things to worry about...like presenting myself to the Slytherins.

Piece of puke pastille..!


	6. Meet the Fuckers

**Chapter VI**

**Meet the Fuckers**

"Who are you?" Pansy Parkinson demands immediately, her nose permanently upturned and her greasy dark hair pulled back into a scraggly pony tail. The whole of Slytherin, a quarter of the school body- not to mention the nastiest quarter- are all in this room, equipped with wands and bad-tempers, and I'm Harry Potter.

_No, you're Lottie Charm!_ Something inside me shouts, and immediately my hand moves to my hip, which juts out right in the stroppy cow's face. I toss my hair back and scan around the room for Malfoy, stretched out over a sofa in the corner with a crowd of fans. His eyes are on me. Perfect. I hold them in mine for a while before looking back to Pansy as if I had never seen him.

"Lottie Charm." I tell her, as archly as possible. I hear my name hang in the air, ringing off the walls, chiming in people's heads over and over. I can hardly stop myself smiling. 

Pansy is taken aback. Did she expect me to fucking stutter over her question? I've got a few more surprises up my sleeve, darling, just you wait…

God, already I'm thinking like a bitch.

But it's already working as well. Just saying my name has stunned them into silence. People are looking up from their homework, other's from card games and books. People's conversations have come to a hold and it's all because of me.  
"I'm a new student." I tell Pansy, I tell everyone, "I was just sorted, and apparently I'm in Slytherin, so here I am." 

"…Right…well…good." Pansy stammers. I smile at her, fake sweetness oozing from my face. I can see all the girls sizing me up, huddled in their tight little groups.

"What year are you?" She asks.

"Sixth."

"Right." She watches me closely, before her expression breaks into a smile as false as mine. But instead of making me uneasy, I fight the urge to laugh. She already hates me, because I walk in and I'm hotter than her, more confident and already talking down to her. Plus I'm in_her _year so she's got competition, "Come with me then, I'll introduce to the rest of the Sixths." 

I follow her through the vast room, adorned with serpent sculptures with silver columns and leather sofas. Everyone's eyes are on me. The guys are checking me out, the girls are awed. 

Two minutes and I've already got them hooked. Bloody hell! 

We come up to the crowd surrounding Malfoy. Pansy quickly takes the seat next to him, before I can even blink and announces:

"This is Lottie Charm." As if my name isn't already etched into their minds, "Lottie, this is Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, Daphne, Hillary and Esme."

They all incline their heads, some giving verbal greetings. I already know the names of the blokes- the bastards…but it's nice to be formally introduced to the girls. Daphne has hair so red that she must have used potion to get it that colour. Her stormy grey eyes lock onto mine and she manages to raise her cheeks slightly in a kind of grimace. 

Hillary has short hair, a brown so deep that it could be black, in a severe bob that barely touches her chin. She looks a bit like an over trimmed hedge. She's wiry and long, her legs stupidly thin and her wrists looking unable to support her hands. Her snooty expression tells me that I won't ever see her smile, unless it's at the expense of others and even then it will be a sight to behold. 

Esme is a disappointment compared to her other girl friends, who have a kind of interesting air about them. Her mousy hair is so thin it looks almost plastered to her forehead and although she's the only one who smiles properly at me in greeting, I wish she didn't. Her mouth is so wide I thought she would swallow me and her teeth stick out at odd angles. Her plump fingers are clasped together as if she is permanently uncomfortable. I avoid her gaze and turn to Pansy, ignoring Malfoy altogether. I know what I'm doing.

"I like the common room. It's different from what I expected."

Pansy smiles sluggishly, "It's cool. What subjects are you good at?"

"Don't laugh, but Charms are my strong point."

She laughs anyway, long and hard, "That's rich. Not any good at potions then?"

"I have my moments." I say uncertainly. She smiles smugly again. 

"I see…well you're lucky. If you're any good and you're a girl then it's an excuse for Snape to flirt with you. Daphne gets it all the time." 

Daphne shudders and shoots her a dark look, her eyes stormier than before. 

"I'll _try _to dumb down a bit." I flash a smile and see it dazzle everyone for a moment. I decide to get a bit more comfortable, get down onto their level, for some saucy eye contact.

I take a seat in a solitary armchair. The leather is so soft from the backs and bums of so many evil people that have inhabited Slytherin over the centuries that I want to jump right out of it again. 

"So…what would you say Slytherin contributed to the school?" I ask sweetly, to show that I'm not just an awesome face. They exchange looks of surprise at such a weird question.

"I'd say we're known as the leaders, we rule to school." Pansy tells me with attitude, "We put people in their place, especially mudbloods." There's a collective sneer of digust.

"Mudbloods?" I ask in interest. They can't contain their dislike.

"People with _dirty_blood." Esme spits, her nose wrinkling to make her even less attractive. 

"People with muggle relatives." Daphne explains, an aloof look on her face.

"People with dirty relatives." Zabini sums up. So the guy talks…?  
"Ok, ok, I get it." I mumble. 

"Of course, you've got nothing to worry about. If you're not pure blood- only wizard relatives- then you've got no chance of getting in Slytherin. We're an exclusive organization." Pansy assures me. 

I feel like cursing, hexing, jinxing, _punching _the lot of them. They're sicker than I realized. 

"Right, yes." I agree shortly, "So how do you…'put…_mudbloods _in their place?'"

"Oh just minor things," Hillary smiles almost wildly, "Threats, maybe a little hex here and there. Just frightening them a little bit, which isn't hard, because their spineless little beasts, aren't they? It helps them to keep their head down and not try any funny business. Salazar forbid that there'd be any mudbloods acting out against the purebloods- they wouldn't get very far; less magical power, you see."

I can't help it…_Don't say it, for the love of DOBBY don't say it!_

Oh for fucks sake just SAY it!

"I hear there's a really clever witch in Gryffindor…uhhh Professor McGonagall mentioned it when I was giving her my records just now…she's one of the best in the year and she's got muggle parents." I blurt out, before blinking innocently, hands folded neatly in my lap, praying that it won't catch me out. There's silence in the group. I notice Malfoy raising an eyebrow but not moving from his relaxed position, head in his hand as he was slung across the leather sofa. His rumpled blonde hair and shirt that was open at the top, revealing his swan-like skin made it hard to look away. 

Pansy has a look on her face that made me sure she thought I was insane. Everyone else just resumes their lifeless poses. So this is what it's like being a Slytherin- bitching and threats?

"We've even been known to curse some unfortunates." 

And lo behold, Malfoy speaks for the first time that night, and it's as if the lights are turned on. Everyone immediately sits up, alert. Pansy can hardly contain her excitement. I just watch him with interest, containing my own jitters, playing it cool as if I couldn't care less. 

"Really? Got any examples you'd like to share?" I ask, eyeing him mischievously. He stares back, his expression unreadable, which throws me off guard a bit.

"You know Harry Potter?" He drawls, obviously hoping that I don't. The bastard is so desperate that someone won't know who I am, but he'll just have to put up with it. 

On the other hand…he's bound to like me more if I'm the ideal person for him, someone who's never heard of…well, myself. Maybe I should give it a try?

"Not really." I shrug, and then realize that I seem a total recluse to the wizarding world not knowing someone like me. I immediately raise an eyebrow and say: "Of course I have." 

He continues without a blink. So it didn't really matter what I said…? Damn, he's going to be very confusing to work with!

"Well, he's pretty well known, yeah. But he hasn't been around lately."

"Really?" I say, maybe hamming up my surprise a little too much, "I was hoping to get a look of him," I pause, wondering whether I should really say what I'm about to, "I heard he's pretty tasty."

Had to be done. But the only reaction I received was hoots of laughter. Malfoy didn't even smirk. 

"If you like scrawny, speccy nobodies whose only claim to fame is a complete fluke then yes," Malfoy says in a quiet, almost furious voice, "Yes, I suppose he is tasty."

I'd never expected to hear Malfoy say I was tasty. I don't think it's something I can get used to. 

"So why hasn't he been around lately?" I say, leaning forward to rest an elbow on my knee and then rest my chin on my dainty hand, staring intently at him, "What happened to him?"

"I cursed him." He hissed softly, as the others giggle churlishly, like strange sidekicks in a weird children's movie, "Into a woman."

I have to laugh. In context, it's pretty damn hilarious. I realize now that my laugh is strangely alluring, and even Zabini stares dumbly at me. The girls aren't as comfortable as the boys with my presence though.

"I'm going to have to watch my back with you around, aren't I…?"

"Malfoy." As if I didn't know, "_Draco _Malfoy."

I choke back the sarcastic James Bond comment- he'd never get it anyway. And nod as if I'm intrigued just by his name.

"Well you already know mine." I smile seductively, and it's like we're the only two people in the room, even though I'm painfully aware that everyone's eyes are on us, especially Pansy's.  
"I'm sure the whole school will know it by the end of tomorrow." Malfoy smirks at me, and I feel an electric current spark through me. God he's better than I thought he would be. What the hell is he doing with Pansy? He could get any girl he wanted. Although Pansy and Malfoy are more of a casual couple, I suppose. Not sure that's what Pansy wants though. 

"Come on, girls; let's show Lottie to her room." She says, her voice cold and her face like stone. She rises and the others follow with her. They look at me expectantly. Fighting the urge to sigh I glide upwards and follow them down a hallway, with one last look at Malfoy, whose gaze is following me as I leave the room. 


	7. Getting Started

**Chapter VII**

**Getting started**

"So how do you like Hogwarts so far?" Esme gabbles excitedly, as Hillary and Daphne on either side of her eat in an almost glum silence. Pansy's chattering with Malfoy further down the long table, but I don't think he's listening. He hasn't looked at me all morning. Why the hell is it driving me _so _crazy?

"Uh-yeah. Yeah it's not bad." I say hurriedly, managing to grasp the conversation. I was kind of distracted by Malfoy's shirt. He's rolled up his sleeves, exposing his creamy forearms, where tendons snake up his arm, his muscles devastatingly obvious even though he shows no signs of tensing. It was hard to look away.

"Not bad?" Esme chirrups, cocking her head to one side, which irritated me so much. She wasn't cute like a puppy- why waste her time trying to act like one?

"No, it's great! It's just…" Search for something…_anything!_ "Homesick. Yeah I'm starting to miss my parents."

"It's been one night." Daphne points out. I shrug morosely, like some sad little mummy's girl who'll wet her bed when she's away from her comfort blanket too soon…

"Yeah…um…but I like the toast here!" I babble, taking a bite, so I don't have to talk further. They raise their eyebrows but drop the subject.

"Seen any boys you like the look of yet then?" Hillary asks dully, but nevertheless a glint of interest appears in her eyes. Pansy immediately grows quiet (a sight to behold) and her eyes rest on me. I try not to go red.

"They have yet to impress me." I tell her, hoping Malfoy will get the hint. I hear a noise come through his nose, like a laugh, and he shifts slightly. 

"Miss Charm." The tapping on my shoulder helps me to realize that I should be turning round at this point. It's Snape, and I immediately assume he's here to flirt, but he simply hands me a piece of parchment.

"Your timetable."

Phew…! So no letchy leerings this morning, then.

"It seems you have double potions first. I look forward to your conscientious work..."

Then again…

Luckily he walks away, but I notice everyone trying to contain their smirks. 

I take a look at my timetable, and notice that nearly every lesson is crossed with the Gryffindors. This helps me relax a bit. When I came into the hall and caught sight of Ron and Hermione tucking into their food without me, not even noticing me (Fred and George certainly did) I felt a twinge of something…something like homesickness but for my friends. It comforts me that at least we'll be in lessons together, so I won't be completely alone with the Slytherins, even though I'll probably have to act like an asshole to them.

But right now, I concentrate on how to get a seat next to Malfoy…

* * *

As we enter the dungeon, I try to look as if I've never seen the room before, even though the dread automatically washes over me. My new friends immediately head for the front seats, and I realize I've never sat at the front before. If you sit at the back, you're less likely to be caught getting help from Hermione. I catch sight of a smaller, more secluded desk in the corner, still on the front row, but more private. I see Malfoy head for it, and Pansy follow.

_Bollocks! Quick, get in there before it's too late!_

Trying to be inconspicuous, I head over to where they're already getting their quills and ingredients out, Pansy gabbling away and Malfoy re-rolling up his snow white sleeves.

"Hey, Pansy?" I ask, trying to seem meek and vulnerable. Like it would even stir a sense of pity from that zombie…but it's worth a try.

"Yes?" She sounds a bit irritated that I'm interrupting them.

"I don't really have any ingredients..."

"Over there." She says harshly, pointing to the store cupboard.

"Um…" I glance over my shoulder and look back, trying to contain my impatience, "Where?"

She doesn't bother to repress a sigh, "Wait here, I'll get them for you." Slowly she rises out of her seat, her eyes on me the whole time, and strides off to the cupboard. 

Acting quickly, with my heart pounding I take her seat and start to unpack my potions book. Malfoy watches me, resting his temple against his fist, not with anger, indignance or disbelief, but with silent curiosity. I hear Pansy's growing footsteps and feel a punch of excitement.

She slows to a stop in front of us, her arms full of ingredients. I feel my heart beat pick up even more as I look at my cauldron in silence.

"What are you doing?" She demands. It takes a second for me to look up into her face and see anger, indignance and disbelief. No curiosity. She's simply pissed. 

"I couldn't find a seat." I say innocently, blinking my big eyes and frozen to the spot. She glances around the room and sees that there are over ten free seats.

"What are you _talking_about-?"

"Miss Parkinson, take a seat so we can begin." A dangerous hiss sounds behind her. She turns to Snape and opens her mouth to protest but I guess she realizes it won't get her anywhere. She saw Snape leering at me at the breakfast table- who does she think he is going to favor? 

With an angry noise from her throat, she seizes her things and slams them onto a desk three tables down. Out of the corner of my eye, I swear Malfoy looks amused. 

Snape sets us a complicated potion, silencing the Gryffindor's protests that we haven't studied this type of potion making with the threat of detention. The Slytherins stay silent, almost smugly. Malfoy sits back doing nothing, which surprises me because he's always been infuriatingly good at potions, still having not spoken to me at all. I stare at my cauldron blankly. 

With a swish of a cloak, Snape slides past, his wand half hidden underneath his sleeve, and suddenly there is potion bubbling with life and magic before I can even blink. 

I stare at it, wide eyed, and look to Snape, who smirks as he continues to stride past the other Slytherins, who look awfully relaxed for such a challenging assignment. I notice that the students whom he has already passed are sitting back in their seats, with potions the exact same colour and characteristics as mine mulling in their cauldrons, ready to be corked. 

Knowing already what I'm about to see, I turn and watch my fellow Gryffindors struggling to control the frothing of their own remedies, furiously skinning various ingredients with sweat on their brows and desperately flipping through their books for any sign of help, completely unaware of what's going on because they are too immersed in their uphill battle. I don't expect Snape to help them out, and I'm right. When he passes the last Slytherin, he turns and heads back to his desk, smirking to himself. 

That _BASTARD…_ I knew he favored his own house, but to this extent? No wonder Slytherins always soar through his classes, he does all the bloody work _for _them! 

Hoping beyond hope, I turn and scan the room for good old Hermione. Thank god, she's stirring her own potion that looks just as satisfactory as mine. I feel a surge of pride. She's the best in the class, as usual. 

"Thank god for Snape, otherwise you'd be sitting with an empty cauldron all lesson." Malfoy said calmly. Electric currents scatter through my body, fizzling to my fingertips. 

Perfect. With a whole lesson with nothing to do ahead of me, it's my chance to finally draw Malfoy in…

I smile and turn to him.

"Sorry, what's your name again?"


	8. The Truth Gets Out?

**Chapter VIII**

**The Truth Gets Out...?**

He looks a bit surprised that I can't remember his name, when he must remember mine. It's all part of the plan: make him feel insignificant and he'll strive to impress you.

The faint bubbling of our potions fills in the silence as he watches me calmly, a tiny crease of confusion between his eyebrows. 

"Draco." He repeats quietly.

"Draco Malfoy? Now I remember." I smile cheekily, "Does Snape always…let's say_help us out _like this?"

"Oh yes, it's quite useful." He tells me thoughtfully, "I can't do potions for frog spawn…but don't tell anyone that, will you?" And he narrows his eyes just for a second, his eyes suddenly smoldering. He's confiding in me, something to bring us closer together, creating a moment just between us. 

"I won't." I almost whisper, not taking my eyes off of him.

"Thanks." He smiles at me, just the corner of his mouth opening to give a cheeky peek at his dazzling teeth. A spasm of excitement shoots through me as I gawk at him. 

How the hell does he do that?

"So…Mal-Draco. What was all that about with Pansy?" I ask quietly, frowning slightly and turning in so I can face him properly, so we can have a little privacy. 

I see his shoulders quake, but no sound comes through his lips. It's so different from his snide laughter. 

"Don't try and act innocent, Charm." He says, his heavy drawl is gone and his voice is light with a lilt to it. It throws me when he uses my surname. A playful term of endearment, or an attempt to create distance? So many crossed signals…

"You made her jealous."

"Jealous? It's only a seat." I disagree coyly. He snorts.

"It's not the seat that she's in a frenzy over." He tells me cockily, raising a light eyebrow. 

"Hmmm." I say, "I see…so she likes you?"

"You could say that." He can hardly keep the amusement from his voice. 

"Do you like her?" I persist, trying to make it seem like a strange idea that the two of them could ever be considered together romantically. Malfoy thinks as I wait in suspense, but don't show the agony I'm enduring, just waiting for the dusty tone of his voice. 

After a few seconds I sigh and turn back to my cauldron, idly stirring it, twisting the spoon between my spindly fingers.

"I think she likes me a bit more than I like her, but yes I do. She's nice enough." He admits finally.

"Nice? I'd have thought that'd be one of the last words you'd use…" I mumble. (Although secretly content that he didn't declare his undying passion for the sour cow). I turn to look at him straight in the eyes. They're ashen beauty astounds me, and I feel insignificant, even in my new graceful form. He watches me with interest, yet again. He's the strong, silent type? Or maybe he has to loosen up a little…so many possibilities…

"Someone once told me…" He whispers silkily, "That jealousy," I freeze, "Is such a petty thing."

I feel the colour wash over me- I seem to blush so much _more _when I'm a girl! It's hardly beneficial. For a crazy, awful moment I'm positive he's caught me out. But he rolls his eyes and laughs through his nose.

"I quite like it." He tells me secretly, and I blush even more, warmth and relief spreading through me like some wonderful disease. 

"You're quite perceptive." I compliment, raising an eyebrow and resting my head in a hand, mirroring his position. We watch each other, and he breaks into a smile, showing his perfect teeth, creasing those smoky eyes and making me weak.

Must be the hormones. 

"I'd never thought I'd see you smile." Surprise tints my tone, and those words aren't scripted. My true thoughts slip out before I can stop them, "I mean properly."

"It _is _a sight to behold." Malfoy agrees, his eyes suddenly dark, "I try to keep myself unnoticed nowadays…"

This confuses me. His eyes slant back to his own potion as he sits up and begins to stir it, even though it doesn't really require his attention.

Should I ask him about it? He's kind of confided in me already…is this a plea for pity, or just a passing comment that he never meant to let out, the briefest glimpse of Malfoy's actual life, his memories, his secrets…I want in!

"What-?" But I'm interrupted just as I pluck up to courage as something hits me lightly on the back of my head. 

Pissed, I turn around to see where it's come from.

Ronald fecking Weasley. Trying and failing to seem inconspicuous, he makes wild arm motions to the piece of screwed up parchment lying at the base of my chair. 

"Weasley, desist that ridiculous dance you're doing. Five points from Gryffindor." Snape calls in a bored, emotionless voice. 

Sighing, I reach down to retrieve the parchment, but before I can even touch it, a pale hand beats me to it and scoops it up. A flashback of a close Quidditch match: two hands reaching for the same prize- the snitch. Around four years ago…here I am sitting next to the git; flirting with him, desperate for his approval…it's insane. 

Of course, I'm distracted by the fact that the message from Ron is for me, personally. This means that there is an extremely high possibility that it will mention the whole me being Harry Potter thing. This is bad, of course. 

My heart hammers at my chest, my palms start to sweat and I grip the edge of my seat as he slowly begins to unravel what can only be the truth…

* * *

_**Caspre: Sorry about the length, folks! The chapter wouldn't work if I put any more content in it; it wouldn't run as smoothly. Hope you understand! To make up, the next Chapter will be super-long ;D...well just your standard longness...I don't want to bore you!**_

_**Keep reading xxx**_


	9. Draco in a New Light

**Chapter IX**

**Draco in a New Light**

"Um…that's for me…

"Um…that's for me…?" I try to say, but it passes through my throat as a whisper. It's too late anyway; it's open, spread out between his long, lethal fingers, its message loud and clear in Ron's scribble:

_Meet me outside._

I could slide out of my chair I'm so relieved, but I keep it together as Malfoy snickers to himself. There's the laugh I know and hate.

"Even _Weasley's _taking a shot…" He says, more to himself I think, "Ridiculous…"

He thinks that Ron's set out to 'woo' me. Let him think that, I guess, it's better than him finding out! Bloody hell I thought I was going to have a heart attack…

"Weasley? Is that his name?" I play along, snatching a glance at Ron, who is watching Malfoy worriedly. It was his stupid fault; there are other ways of sending a message…

"Yes, not exactly a thrilling love interest." He warns me. His attempts to put me off Ron when I couldn't see him in a romantic life if I tried amuse me.

"Oh, I don't know." I contradict, "I quite like red-heads." I see instant resentment in his eyes and know its working.

"Hmmm, but do you like blood-traitors?" He tries, sounding nonchalant but I can hear the urgent undertones.

The bell rings- how could potions soar by so quickly? It feels like we'd only been sitting here for five minutes.

"Ah, but unlike you, Malfoy," I smile slowly, as the bustle of everyone packing their bags surround us, "Jealousy doesn't do much for me."

Not even waiting for his reaction, I rise gracefully and swing my bag over my shoulder with one fluid movement. Without a backwards glance, I walk towards the door, taking my time. I don't hear him get out of his seat; perhaps he's dumbfounded.

As I leave the room and hit the fresh air of the corridor, I take a deep breath and laugh quietly to myself.

That went rather well!

"OI! CHARM!"

Ah. I forgot about _that _little detail.

"Yes, Pansy?" I turn around, watching her storm towards me, her friends in her wake, Esme looking excited, Daphne and Hillary looking uninterested as usual.

"What the hell were you doing, taking my seat?" Pansy demands, giving my shoulder a shove. It hardly moves, and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I don't see what you're so upset about." I say, dusting my shoulder lightly, "It was only a seat, Pansy."

She turns an ugly shade of magenta, swelling like Aunt Marge, spluttering like a broken broomstick.

"I think she's mad because you sat next to _Draco_." Esme explains.

"Oh!" I say, my eyes wide and my hand flying to my mouth, "I didn't realize…"

"How could you not realize?" Daphne asks dully, looking skeptical.

"Well, I guess I didn't see anything there." I shrug. Pansy practically explodes, "No hard feelings? Good, I've got to get to Transfiguration- see you there!"

And I make a break for it, and I'm pretty sure I hear the word "BITCH!" being called after me in a strangled yell.

"Har-Lottie!" Ron squeaks, and I slow down, turning to see him chasing after me.

"Hows it going?" He asks breathlessly. Great, another person chasing after me…! Can I not just be left to the peace of escaping the wrath of a Man-Goblin?

"Not here." I hiss, "You want someone to overhear us?"

"_Where _then?" He demands louder than necessary, "You're constantly surrounded by that lot."

"Meet me in the Library at break." I snap impatiently, itching to get away so I can ignore Malfoy in Transfiguration and make him seriously irritated, "As if they'd go there- bring Hermione as well…see ya, Ron!"

And I leg it.

"Wait..?" I hear him call helplessly.

I skid to a halt at the end of the corridor and maintain a causal slink to the classroom as soon as I catch sight of Malfoy. Everyone's already gone in, so the place is deserted, he's leaning against the wall watching me silently and I can actually hear my head beating in my head.

Must be because I've been running…

"May I walk you the rest of the way." His devious smirk tells me he'd do it, whether I give him permission or not.

"Eager, aren't we?" I ask, giving a cheeky grin back. I can always ignore him later…

"Don't flatter yourself." He tells me quietly, "Leave that to me…"

Cheesy, but it makes me want to jump up and down, squealing. Luckily I supress that urge and continue to behave like I _have _in fact evolved from the apes. How the hell can this be working so quickly?

"We'll see." I don't want him to think he's got control or anything, do I? Keep the upper hand, Lottie! Malfoy just shakes his head and laughs lightly. I never thought I'd see him…happy? Care-free? _Nice_? Granted, they're weak words, but they're the kind of words I never thought I'd use when describing him.

"Tell me, have you always been _charmingly _different from every other girl I've ever met?" It sounds like some cheap line, but with the reference to my fake surname I can't help but feel enchanted.

"We're a rare treat, the Charms." I assure him, "Are you always this courteous?" I notice we're walking slower than necessary, but the door is still creeping ever closer. We can already hear McGonagall's sharp voice cutting through the air.

"No." He says truthfully, without a hint of mirth. His robes are slung across his shoulder, his green tie lose around his graceful neck and his half-open white shirt looking grey next to his creamy skin. He has one hand stowed in his pocket, the other glides through his hair for a swift moment. I realize that it's changed- it's no longer slicked back like an Adams Family member, but ruefully tousled, it's style and allurement offhand, almost unintended . All these years I saw it as simply blonde, Barbie blonde if I'm being cruel. But really it's a delicate shade of white-gold, almost dazzling when we pass a beam of light streaming through a high window.

His lean figure isn't disappointing either; he's tall, with a long, slender torso. Almost feminine, but still boasting masculinity at only sixteen. His muscles aren't bad- brilliant in fact. Bloody hell…I can see them rounding his sleeves…peeking out at me…

Oh God…stop staring!

But when did he become like this? Not a sneering brat…a majestic gentleman…effortlessly elegant, strong…sensuous-

"_Late_ I see, and only your third lesson, Miss Charm! Mr. Malfoy, I hope you do not escort her again, you do nothing for her punctuality!"

Ah, Professor McGonagall, no harsher to students outside her house than in. That's good teaching, unlike Snape's disgusting favoritism…although it got me my first Outstanding in Potions!

Thank God she interrupted my daydreams; I might've jumped on Malfoy if I'd gotten the chance to carry on admiring his knock-out qualities. Hastily, we take our seats at the back, having to sit either side of Neville, who has sat in the middle of the three spare seats. I feel like kicking the chubby, brainless twat.

What is with these _hormones_?

He freezes when he realizes he's sitting between two (beautiful) Slytherins. What tortures can we unleash?

The inconvenience of sitting away from Malfoy irritates me, and my brain starts to whirr, going over the different factors of the plan…

I need to get him to like me…he's showing signs of it already, but if I want him to _really _fall for me so I can crush him then I'll need to entice him even further…I can see him in the common room, at lunch and I have all my lessons with the Slytherins…I can see him all the time really.

However…perhaps it's better that I don't spend too much time with Malfoy. I don't want to throw myself on him…if he only gets glimpses of me, an exchange of banter here and there…he'll get more and more eager. Giving him a little taster and suddenly taking it away will leave him pining for more. I need to wait for him to come to me…

So stay away from him, avoid him…but make sure he sees me…easy, right?

Professor McGonagall takes the register, and soon enough, she comes to my name. My _real _name.

"Harry Potter?" She takes a sweeping look around the room, having no idea that she's just seen him come in.

Hermione clears her throat, as if preparing for a well-rehearsed speech. She always has been a terrible actress…good thing she's got brains.

"He's ill, Professor- he's staying at Ronald's with spattergroit." She declares shakily. The Slytherins guffaw to themselves, causing the Gryffindors to shoot them spiteful looks, but with a hint of smugness it seems. Seems Ron has let them _all _in on the plan. Seamus winks at me, which Malfoy doesn't fail to overlook. His hand is resting over his wand on the table and it seems to tense slightly. I can't help but grin back at him. Is he just being a horny git, or is he helping me out to entice Malfoy further?

I don't need to debate much longer, as the look on his face when his eyes _once again _move to my chest is definitely not staged.

Before I can blink or Seamus can become even more aroused there's a streak of light and he seizes up, his arms snap to his side and his legs are completely straight as he clatters to the floor like a plank of wood. Malfoy's wand is stowed in his pocket before anyone can suspect his conjuring of the body binding curse.

There is silence, and the whole class slowly turns their heads to Professor McGonagall, who is staring calmly at Seamus' wooden form.

"Detention, Finnigan." She says in a bored voice, causing the class to exchange looks of confusion, "How many times do I have to tell that boy NOT to point his wand at himself? I remember his first year- explosions seemed to follow him everywhere as soon as he aqquired a wand…"

I can't believe Malfoy's luck. Or the hilarity that Seamus was punished for being attacked. However, I realize that only the Slytherins find this amusing. The rest of the Gryffindors turned and shoot them suspicious looks, angered that their side has been given a detention for something that the Slytherins had a high probability of doing, being gits and all. Well, except Dean- he was ready to believe that Seamus _had _cursed himself. He knows him the best, I guess. No one seems to be in a hurry to help him out of his state. In fact, Professor McGonagall continues to teach while Dean sniggers and pokes his friend with his foot.

Another thing that surprises me is Malfoy's temper. He can't possibly like me this much already to act so protective, or possesive might be a better word. Of course if Seamus had looked a second longer it might have been me to shoot a hex at him. I guess he's learnt his lesson…or not. It _is _Seamus we're talking about here.

The rest of the lesson drags, much slower than double potions even though it's only a single period. What I write goes through my head into my fingers and gets scrawled onto a piece of parchment, but it doesn't reach my conciousness. I end up giving up altogether. I find myself sneaking glances at Malfoy instead, who isn't writing either. At one point, our eyes meet and I blink slowly and look back at my page. He doesn't look away immediately.

It's really working!

Finally the bell rings and we're free for break time. Free to see Ron and Hermione again, and avoid Pansy.

"Harry!" Hermione gushes and she throws herself into my arms. Now before, when I was a guy and had more density and everything, I could survive a hug like Hermione's. But now I'm a girl, with little bones, little arms and no muscle. I'm boweled over and we land in a heap on the floor. Ron sees no need to help us up; in fact he's happy to watch. Are _all _guys sick bastards?

"Hermione…" I groan, and Ron just gets more excited, "No wonder you don't have any girlfriends…"

"Sorry!" She squeaks and scrambles up hurridely. I'm pulled up soon afterwards and I waste no time in cursing Ron. He's keeling over, laughing, giggling, and screaming as the tickling hex hits him. He's on the floor, shrieking like a two year old girl.

"Silencio." Hermione adds, and he's left to writhe on the carpet and scream silently, "We're in a library after all…hows it going, Harry?"

"Lottie." I correct her in a hiss, "Anyone could be here…"

"Don't be silly, I'm the only one who comes here at break. No one else can read a good amount of chapters in such a short time." She beams at me, "So hows it going, Lottie?"

"Well, _very_ well." I supress a giggle, "He walked me to Transfiguration, and _he _was the one who put the body binder on Seamus; he was perving on me."

"That's wonderful! Malfoy's perving on you already?" Hermione asks, but before I can correct her she's already moved on the part she _really _cares about: "I saw you take Pansy's seat next to him in Potions! How upset was she? Was she shouting-was she _crying?_"

"Close to tears." I tell her. She beams at me, as if I've done my homework all by myself for once, "I think she's pretty much set on mauling me."

"Oh I have a good spell for that." Hermione assures me.

"There's a _spell _for a bitch fight?" There's so much I don't know about the Witch's side of the wizarding world!

"Mm! Just as she's about to slap you or anything like that, just twirl your wand-" She demonstrates- "And say _Llortnam._"

"…Say that once more."

"Lort-nam."

I watch her suspiciously. "Now if I were to _write _this spell…and then write it _backwards…_"

"You'd get the word _Mantroll, _yes."

I blink at her.

"Are there any more of these spells?" I ask, fearing for the wizarding race.

"Yes, but not as effective as _this _one." She grins mischeviously, something I'm not used to.

"What does it do?" I imagine a huge hand performing a mighty slap or scratch, or maybe a magical handbag to whomp Pansy over the head with.

"Wait and see." She giggles, with a touch of something sinister that makes me hope I never have to use it, "Do you think Ron's had enough? I think he's hyperventilating…"

I glance at Ron who is much less animated now, lying almost still but twitching violently. Sighing I lift the hex and he lies there, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

"That'll teach you." I tell him sniffily.

* * *

_**Yeah the Bitch Spell **_**is _silly but I can never resist these kind of things! _**

_**Review if you feel like it ;D**_


	10. Straying from the plan

**Chapter X**

**Straying from the Plan**

The rest of the day passes uneventfully and damn slowly- probably because I didn't speak to Draco once the whole time.

In Herbology, Pansy tries and fails to cast an acne curse on me- Professor Sprout notices just in time and gives her a detention, which doesn't help my situation at all.

Throughout Charms I try to ignore the churning feeling in my stomach that reminds me that tonight I have to fall asleep in the girls Dormitory under the watchful eyes of Pansy, who could do just about anything. Plus I'll be in Slytherin headquarters, and they could have just about any opinion on torturous behavior to another member of their house.

At lunch I eat quickly, trying to ignore Esme's chatterings and Pansy's cold glare as she grabs hold of Draco's hand on the table. He doesn't react, as if he's used to it or just doesn't really care about it. It comforts me a little that he shows no signs of romantic reference to her, but judging my Pansy's suddenly radiant mood, she's completely unaware of being practically ignored; it seems she's living in her own world.

After I bolt my meal down, I hurry off to the library, trying to pretend I don't see Pansy's happy face at my departure. Luckily, Hermione's there, pouring over some huge textbook.

I collapse into the seat across from her and heave a sigh which ruffles my fringe.

"Being targeted by Pansy is hard work." I tell her.

"Tell it to the girl whose skirt was vanished by that cow." She says without looking up from the book. I grimace and pat her hand consolingly; as a girl, I have learnt to be sympathetic. It'll come in useful with the ladies when I'm a guy again, I guess.

"I can guess you haven't used the special spell yet."

"How did you know?"

"Believe me, I'd know!"

This puts me off using the spell even more, if the effects would be so obvious. I prefer the more subtle spell casting, like people's wands flying out of their hands.

I watch her read for a while, enjoying the calm that washed over me from the silence of the library. Forget the plan, just put your head in your arms and relax…

Footsteps, their echoes chanting down the hallway and drifting through the open library doors puncture my peaceful thoughts. As they grow closer I lift my head to see who it is, natural curiosity getting the better of me. As the person emerges from behind the doorframe by heart lurches to my mouth at the sight of _Malfoy_.

Because I wasn't prepared to see him, I just stare, wide eyed and gormless. The perfect image…! He continues to walk past, his eyes locked with mine the whole time- which seems like an hour. Realizing I'm sitting with Hermione, he smiles a simple smile, bordering a smirk, and disappears behind the other side of the doorframe. I stare at the exact place, unable to look back at Hermione, who is still reading, her breathing quiet and steady unlike mine, uneven and shallow.

"Was that Malfoy?" She murmured in a low voice, her eyes still on her book.

"…Yep…" It comes out as a rasp.

"Go on." She looks up at me for the first time and smiles widely, "Aren't you going after him?"

"Aaactually…" I shuffle restlessly in my seat, wanting nothing more than to join him, "I'm playing hard to get at the moment."

Hermione looks at me for a while, long and hard, before murmuring, "I'll have to ask Ginny what that means…"

* * *

"I noticed you sitting with Granger in the library at lunch." His voice lulls from behind me in Care of Magical Creatures. I nearly squash the pixie I'm wrestling with.

My blood boils; my heart sings but plummets at the same time.

_How the hell do I avoid him now? I can't just run off…I haven't got the self-control…_

"Granger?" I ask innocently, my eyes squinting in the afternoon sun as I look up at him over my shoulder. He's standing closer than I thought, dangerously close; I might just have to jump on him again.

"…Hermione?" The first time he's said her actual name, I think. It takes physical strength for him to force it out.

"Oh yes, I'm meeting as many people as I can." I say brightly, and hastily slap a remedy on the Pixie's backside, which Hagrid has assigned us to moisturize because at this time of year apparently, they're prone to getting boils in awkward places. The guy cares too much…and the students don't care at all. I have to admit though, it was hard not to run and hug him when he emerged from his hut at the beginning of the lesson. I think these girl hormones now see him as a huge cuddly bear…it freaks me out.

"You know she's a mudblood right?" He asks, aghast underneath his calm exterior.

I try to stay calm, but I nearly pop the head off of my pixie. It lets me know by biting me nice and hard though. I shriek loudly.

"What? I'm only warning you?" Malfoy asks calmly, as if I'd acted like a civilized human, and hadn't just screamed like a banshee.

"No…the pixie bit me, idiot." I growl darkly, forgetting myself. The real hatred and frustration towards the git spills out before I can control it. But he just…laughs. Openly, loudly, _properly_ like a real person. It sends a surprising tingle up my spine.

"Just squish the bloody thing if it's offended you." He moves to my side so he can inspect the struggling pixie more closely. He leans forward, and his shoulder grazes my cheek. Without thinking, I breathe in his scent. It's spicy, but with a hint of something fresh, something I can't place. The only thing I can picture it as is an open meadow, its grasses being teased by the sighing winds.

Snap _out of it._ You're a _boy. _You're _straight, _remember?

Malfoy takes the creature from me, his fingers brushing against me. I'm surprised by their temperature. They're warm, not cold like I imagined, like a vampires. I feel like an idiot really- did I expect him to be a cold-blooded monster once I got to know him?

…Well yes, but I had fair reason!

Anyway, Malfoy squeezes the pixie's head between his forefinger and thumb, until it squeals.

"Stop it!" I cry out. I've forgotten what a heartless bastard he can be! But to my surprise, he does, and it collapses in his palm.

"There." He said, satisfied, as he laid it gently in my palm, "Now it knows not to play up."

I stare at him, incredulous.

"No. Way. You're good with Magical Creatures?" This is Harry Potter thinking, "But you always act like you _hate-_"

"What do you mean 'always'?" He asks sharply, looking down at me, the sun behind him giving him a halo, "This is your first Care of Magical Creatures class isn't it?"

…Fuck.

"W-well…Hermione was moaning about it in the Library when I asked her about this class." I stammer, blushing- not at the sticky situation, but at his ridiculous beauty right now. His lips are right there…just stand on your tiptoes…

SHUT UP!

What the hell is going on? My blood is hammering through my veins, I feel feverish, my palms are sweating and I can hardly control the emotions screaming through me all at the expense of Draco bloody Malfoy!

"Are you ok?" He asks me, looking genuinely concerned through his angelic features. It's too much.

"Ihavetogo!" I squeak, and with the greatest strength I've ever mustered, I leave him and get the hell out of there.

Behind a random statue I sit, out of breath because I'd broken into a sprint once I was out of sight.

Do I…?

Is it possible that…?

Now _way _can I…

I have to admit it…

I can't believe this is happening…

Just _say _it…

It could just be the hormones…

_Say it…_

What if…?

_SAY IT!!_

I think I – Harry Potter- have got the hots…for Draco Malfoy.

Now _that _wasn't part of the plan!


	11. The Technical Difficulties

**Chapter XI**

**The Technical Difficulties**

So what's it going to be? Do I abandon the plan?

...No bloody way. I've…got to teach the git a lesson…

Well if I'm honest, I don't give a damn about the plan; I want to seduce him, kiss him, and indulge him…and then what? Do I really let him fall on his ass? Humiliate him like I was meant to? What if I can't let him go?

But how can I _not _continue this affair?

I let my head fall into my hands as I shake it back and forth, trying to clear out the confusion. No such luck.

This is crazy. It's Malfoy, _Malfoy! _I've hated him ever since the first train journey to Hogwarts- how did everything change so suddenly? It could just be the girl hormones…but somehow it feels deeper than that.

Restless, I get up from my seat on the statue I had hidden behind and decide to head back to the common room. With a pang I realize I'm heading towards the Gryffindor Headquarters automatically. I feel homesick for the comfort of Ron and Hermione…but how can I tell them what's raging through me? I have no idea how they'd react but Ron might just punch me. Maybe Hermione would shake her head woefully and sigh, saying she knew this would happen.

Taking a deep breath, I turn and head for the dungeons as the bell rings for the end of today's lessons. Soon enough, a low rumble fills the castle as students begin to make their way to dinner. Sighing, I redirect my steps yet again so I can go and eat. My stomach feels hollow; I need to get some food in me.

I take a seat, completely lost in my daydreams. Too late, I realize I'm sitting next to Pansy, who is glaring at me in disbelief.

"What are you doing?"

My bewilderment vanishes as her ugly face, set in stone, makes that awful face at me, as if I don't deserve oxygen. Does she think she can intimidate me? If I want to get Malfoy, then she has to face the facts. She has to realize that she can't get to me.

"Waiting for lunch," I reply, in such a cool tone she blinks. Once. Twice. That's right; the bitch is back, "What are _you _doing?"

"Y-you can't talk to me like that…" She wavers, completely uncertain and out of her depth.

"What are you going to do about it?" I mock, raising a haughty eyebrow, "Now are you going to get over yourself and leave me in peace or am I going to have to hex you in front of the whole school?"

I don't have to say anymore. It's amazing what a few intimidating words can do to the queen bitch of Hogwarts. It's surprisingly easy, almost disappointing. With none of her friends to help her, she turns back to her empty plate, staring at it as she waits for our food to be sent up from the kitchens. Even when Esme, Hillary and Daphne _do _join us, looking mildly surprised that we're sitting side by side, she says nothing. When the food finally fills the golden plates, she shovels her food into her big mouth and flees the scene. Esme immediately gets up and bustles after her. The irritating puppy will only annoy Pansy more. Hillary and Daphne continue eating in silence, apparently not having seen their friend's episode.

Her empty seat is soon filled, by _him._ I try to carry on eating, but my cutlery starts to slip through my moist fingers.

"What made you run off in Care of Magical Creatures?" He asks in a velvet voice that could make me tremble. I manage to control myself as I reply.

"Oh, I wanted to wash where the Pixie bit me." I say airily, "I get a bit woozy at the sight of blood…"

"I see, well next time warn me when you're about to make an exit. It'll make it easier." I look up just in time to see him wink at me. It takes a few seconds for me to look away, and to smile as I do it.

"I like things to be unpredictable." I tell him, washing my food down with the last of my pumpkin juice. There's a burning at the bottom of my stomach as I rise shakily from my seat and Malfoy follows. Together, we leave the Great Hall, our elbows brushing and my heart thudding. He seems completely at ease, his walk gracefully feline and a subtle smile on his lips.

So…do I go with the plan? Or do I go with this fire that's slowly consuming me, taking control? Any minute now, we'll pass through those doors and be alone in the shady corridor.

Remember he's a bastard! The whole of Gryffindor is counting on you to humiliate him! All you have to do is kiss him a couple of times…although you're aching to run your hands through his white-gold hair, across his impressive arms, to stroke his swan neck…make him fall for you, then crush him. It's revenge, not love.

Grabbing hold of my senses, I choose the plan- I have the upper hand, he has no idea that soon I'll crush him. I'll get my own back not just for the curse he's put on me, but for all the detentions he's got me into, all the taunts about my mother, Ron's family, Hermione's parents. The fire that consumes me now is one of anger, not of passion.

The huge doors close behind us and we're left in silence, alone. The raging hate makes my mind up for me- I seize his hand, not noticing any reacting from my hormones at holding it and pull us through a tapestry, the same one I came across Ginny snogging Dean behind. (My guess is that the walls it conceals have seen hundreds of rendezvous' throughout its history) He's completely silent, he didn't even gasp. It's as if he was waiting for this to happen. Cocky dickhead!

I push him against the wall, my hands against his hard chest and finally, I kiss him. Compared to the sloppy one Cho had forced on me under the mistletoe last year this isn't bad…it's timeless, full of feeling and passion. I feel his hands on my waist and they burn through my robes. It feels like a hundred degrees in this tiny enclosure. My hands move up to his shoulders which I use to pull myself up so I can feel more, desperation and lust coursing through me. Emotions scream through me and I almost forget the plan, I almost carry on kissing him forever, all self control forgotten. Luckily, I manage to break the connection, and we stare at each other, our chests heaving, my hands sliding down to his chest again to feel his heartbeat drumming underneath my fingertips.

"About time, too." He whispers gently, his ashen eyes smoldering yet again. I force a smile, "I was wondering how long it would be until this happened." His fingers slip through my long, glossy hair. I gaze at him long and hard, suddenly startled by our close proximity, wondering how the hell it all came to this, snuggled up to Malfoy, as he holds me close.

"It was inevitable." I smile up at him, almost blinded by his beauty, "I guess I was drawn to you." Might be laying it on a bit thick, but compliments are great for enticing!

"You mean _I _was drawn to _you_." He corrects me, "At first it seemed like you didn't want to know me. You even forgot my name! No one forgets my name.." It really sounds like he really cared about that…it was that easy?

"Well, I didn't really forget." The truth spills out. Don't ask why; I'm very muddled right now! "I only said it so you'd _think _I wasn't interested. Boys like a challenge, right?"

He just looks at me for a while, mirth in his dappled eyes, before laughing out loud, the sound bouncing brashly around the compact space.

"That's the kind of girl I like..." He brushes his thumb down my cheek, his other hand at the small of my back, holding me close to him, "Always has a plan."

I breathe in his scent, taking in his appetizing aroma and wishing I could just melt into him. It takes yet another moment to remember that I hate this bastard. Really, I do…which is why I'm letting him kiss me again, why I'm kissing him back, my hands linked around his slender neck and this wonderful plush feeling spreading through me, to my fingers and toes.

Seriously, what's _wrong _with me? I know I'm not gay, I _know _it. Either it's the girl hormones or Malfoy's slipped a love potion in my drink.

Or maybe he just woke something inside of me, that's been waiting to get out…

Whatever it is, I _love _kissing him- I can worry about the technical difficulties later!

* * *

"You _WHAT_?" How can her friends tolerate her shrieking? Pansy storms right up close to me, her hands not even on her hips because she's too furious to even muster attitude right now. I'm sitting on my bed. It's not a four poster, but it's elegant with a silvery-jade curtain attached to the ceiling that draws all around it with callow green bed sheets instead of scarlet.

"We kissed." I repeat clearly, smiling widely.

"But…Malfoy and me…" She splutters to a halt, her intellect failing her yet again.

"You know that shade doesn't really match your skin." I tell her lightly, concentrating on flicking some dust from my skirt as she turns a pasty shade of puce, putting even Uncle Vernon to shame.

She storms from the room without another word, slamming the door so hard the window panes rattle. A portrait of a snide looking little girl shrieks: "SHUT UP!!" I don't know who had acted brattier. It's just me with Daphne, Hillary and Esme again. Esme jumps up, looking distressed and makes for the door but Hillary stretches out a long arm from her bed and grabs the neck of her robes, looking extremely bored.

"For once, Esme," She says with a hint of irritation in her voice, "Just leave it."

"She really likes Malfoy you know, Lottie." Daphne says very quietly, "You really shouldn't have done it." So this is how it's going to be. Well if they don't want to play nice then-

"But nice one."

There's a silence as I watch Daphne grinning- really smiling- at me! I look over to Hillary, and even she is smirking deviously. Esme smoothes down her darling nightdress and hurries to her own bed.

"Ignore her." Hillary says snidely, motioning to Esme who is already under her covers, hunched in a little ball, "She's terrified that Pansy will find out we really don't give a shit about her problems. She'll get the worst of her wrath, after all; she's never bothered to argue with me or Daphne."

Somehow, I'm not surprised.

"So Malfoy _really _does like you?" Daphne pursues, sitting up straight and looking awake for once. I nod smugly.

"And do you like him?" Hillary persists, coming over and sitting next to me. It's definitely a new experience; girly talks!

"Yes. What's not to like?"

"He _is _outrageously gorgeous..." Daphne admits. I'm just surprised she's used a word like 'outrageous'.

"Yes, it's almost rude to be that sexy." Hillary chips in. I giggle with them, enjoying this a lot.

"But isn't he a bit boring?" Hillary continues, "Before, he was always talking- showing off about his mansion, his broom stick, his father- _everything_. He was making fun of the mudbloods with us, especially of Granger. Then he wouldn't _stop _moaning about Harry Potter- _'Dumbledore's pet, scar head, the school's hero, ugh it makes me sick'-_ my god he hated that boy so much, we thought he fancied him!"

She and Daphne giggled uncontrollably as I stared at them in disgust. EW! Malfoy fancying _me? _I mean, the _real _me? Imagine Malfoy being a gay- it'd be hysterical! Girls get such silly ideas sometimes. I'm glad boys don't have such a ridiculous imagination.

"But then in fifth year…" Daphne gets back on track, "He just…went quiet. It was like he switched off. He would just sit quietly in the common room, in lessons, at mealtimes, hardly ever joining in the conversation. He'd go to bed really early and even when a mudblood once _threw _something at him- that's right _threw_! It was that Creevey I think- he just walked off! He left _us _to hex him- I mean it's insane the way he just _changed._

"It could've been his father?" I guess, "Isn't he in prison?"

"Well whatever it is…it's affected him hugely." Hillary tells me darkly, but immediately brightens up as she says: "But if you keep it up with this whole Malfoy thing, then he's bound to cheer up!"

"I'll…do my best?" I say, faking a grin, knowing that if I _do _keep up the whole Malfoy thing, then I'll hardly be cheering him up- crushing his soul, maybe, but _not _cheering him up. Do I really want to do this?

For the last time, you big girl, YES! You should be relishing the fact that Malfoy is going through a difficult patch- he's made sure you've gone through more than necessary throughout Hogwarts! If you keep changing your mind, then _nothing _will happen! Just get over your emotions, and then soon you'll be a hero in Gryffindor again, sitting with your friends by a fire, staring after red-haired _girls._

"Well, you've definitely given Pansy a reality check." Daphne says happily, "She was going to have to realize that Malfoy _didn't _fancy her. She's been kidding herself for years!"

"Ugh it was utterly tiresome listening to her babble on about him _every _night!"

"Oh his hair-"

"-His face-"

"-His _eyes-_"

"-His _bum!_-"

We collapse into fits of laughter as Esme sniffles into her pillow.

I make a mental note to check out Malfoy's bum later.


	12. Finally he or she realizes

**Chapter XII**

**Finally, he/she realizes..**

"Lottie?"

That's me! I don't even have to figure it out anymore. I turn to see him leaning against a wall, achingly lovely and waiting for me.

"Hey." I smile softly, walking towards him. I take his hand and together we walk to lunch.

"Charms was a bit of a challenge today." He notes, making small conversation. The past three weeks spent almost constantly with Draco has taught me many things, like he's no good at small talk. Once you start a conversation with him though, he does most of the talking for you.

"It was simple really. I guess you're just better at other stuff. Which reminds me…" I slow to a stop and stand in front of him, stepping closer, "I hear you're quite the Quidditch player. Fancy a game?"

He stares at me in surprise. "Who told you that?"

"The girls." I answer indifferently. I haven't spoken to Pansy since her little tantrum, nor Esme, who simply follows her around silently like a Lady in bloody Waiting. She is in mourning. Because she has no life.

Daphne and Hillary, however, have taken a shine to me and love filling me in on my new…well not exactly boyfriend. He hasn't asked me out, but it's pretty obvious that we're together. We're practically inseparable, and Pansy's inconsolable.

"So, do you fancy a game?" I repeat, leaning a little closer to sway him. His curious expression softens and he nods. Anything for me, eh? That should help.

"Good." I grin and peck his cheek, "I'll borrow someone's broom. I've always wanted to give it a try!"

"We'll sneak out onto the pitch tonight." He says wickedly, excitement glinting in his eyes, "And don't worry; I'm not going to go easy on you."

"I'd hate it if you did." It feels great to know that I'll beat him. He's a good player, but he's really got no chance. Elated, I begin to pull him towards the Great Hall for lunch, but he's got other ideas.

"I don't think so. Let's skip lunch shall we?" He pulls me the other way as I squeak in surprise. Before I know it, we're in an abandoned classroom and he's kissing me again. He seems to like it- he kisses me a _lot._ But never in public. It's always behind a huge tree, or in an empty classroom or in a broom cupboard. To be honest, I prefer it that way- it'd be kind of rude otherwise, and the guys from Gryffindor would _never _let me forget it. Actually, they'd probably be more furious than in hysterics.

As we break apart I'm a little dizzy.

"You mean a lot to me, Lottie." He whispers, staring deep into my eyes, as if he's trying to seek out another person in them, "You always have."

"I've only known you for less than a month." I counter, getting a bit uncomfortable, but my heart still sings. He's completely falling for it! Soon enough I'll be able to rip his world apart! Love is so beautiful…

"Believe me, it feels much longer than that." He smirks at what seems like a private joke.

"Well it does feel longer." I agree, pecking him lightly on the lips despite myself. I feel him smile against me and can't deny loving it. He steps back and moves to sit on a desk.

"Have I offended you?" I ask mockingly. He grins sheepishly.

"Just need to sit down." This is ridiculous! Draco Malfoy is light-headed at the expense of kissing Harry Potter. I still can't get my head round it.

"I do have that affect." I brag, grinning cheekily. He watches me for a moment, thinking really hard about something. Before I know anything, he's walking towards me. Instinctively, I back towards the wall, before I bump against it. He raises his hands and places them either side of me, encasing me, so all I can see is him. My heart starts a rapid, unsteady rhythm as he watches me lazily with those pearly eyes.

"It's been three weeks." He reminds me. As if I haven't been counting the days, half scheming, half swooning, "I have a proposal…"

Now I'm pretty sure even _Draco _can hear my heartbeat as it picks up the pace and rings in my ears. He brings his lips to meet mine, and I'm surprised. It's gentle and slow, paced and sweet. It's different from how we always kiss; fast and furious, heated and rushed. I close my eyes and sink into it, but it's over before I can really get into it. Short and careful. I keep my eyes closed, hanging on to the moment a little longer. I feel Draco's breath in my ear.

"Be my girlfriend."

It's disappointing. I thought it'd be something more exciting than that. I'm not going to give you any ideas of what I was expecting; it's a bit embarrassing…_very _embarrassing.

"Oh." I didn't exactly sound enchanted. He looked a bit let down at that, probably expecting a gush of "Yes, yes oh YES!" Which, incidentally, was what I was kind of expecting as well, if you _know what I mean…_!

"I thought I was already." I blurt out, saving the situation very narrowly. His eyes soften again, making me tingle.

"Well, let's make it official- put it up on the school notices." He teases, letting my hair run through his fingers.

"Well, if you want it legitimate, then yeah, sure." I smile at him as best I can. What a dweeb! Who knew Draco would be such a softy?

He smiles widely, and kisses me on my nose. Ew. He doesn't know where that's been! What happened to making out? With a jolt I realize that I'm thinking like a guy again, and try to distract myself with my boyfriend's body heat enveloping me.

Suddenly, my tummy grumbles, annoyed at being forgotten. I blush and squirm with shame. Draco simply chuckles.

"Let's go eat." He tells me, taking me by my hand and leading me out of the room.

* * *

SLAM!

"Bye Pansy!" I say brightly, but she's already stormed out of our dorm. Probably because Hillary and Daphne appear not to have any time for her at the moment. They're painting my nails. It's a strange feeling, my fingernails feel cool and the smell makes me dizzy. They're painting them a deep blood red. It looks alluring with my porcelain skin and dainty fingers.

"So hows it going with Malfoy?"

"Oh, it's darn good." I assure them, licking my lips and smirking to myself.

"You'll look stunning tonight," Daphne decides as she eyes my outfit (borrowed from Lavender secretly- it took her a while to combine something that wasn't solid pink.), "Not that you'll need it of course; you turn everyone's head five minutes after you've gotten out of bed!"

I preen, lapping it up contently.

"It's only a little fun on the Quidditch Pitch," I say breezily, although I'm buzzing with excitement, "I'm looking forward to when the_ real _fun kicks off, iiif you know what I mean..."

They gasp and their heads snap up from their hard work to gape at me.

"You're going to…"

"_Do it?_"

"_Tonight?_"

I shrug coyly, "It depends...where would we do it?" They see it as a dewey eyed girl pleading for help, but really it's a cunning little minx scouring for the perfect location...they go with my little plans so easily.

"Use the seventh year dorms." Hillary says, mischief glinting in her eyes, "They're all out in the Library for the whole night with their N.E.W.T.s coming up!"

I make a face and shake my head, "That's so tacky! Besides, what if they came in- I'd _die._"

"The Room of Requirement?"

"_Everyone _does that…" **(Yeah, seriously, Fanfictioners, find a more original place for your sex scenes!)**

"If you want it bad enough," Daphne giggles, "You'll find a way."

"Yeah," I agree, blowing on my nails and shaking my hands about impatiently, "I still need to talk to Draco about it…"

"What- you mean _he _didn't come up with the idea?" Hillary demands.

"I think he's too shy." I muse. They snort simultaneously.

"You're lucky to have a boyfriend who doesn't have a one track mind." Daphne tells me darkly, "Any other guy and they'd already have their pants off! Ok, nails are dry, make-up spell is cast, hair is charmed to have that special bounce aaand you look fantastic!"

I get up from the bed and face the huge mirror. I have to admit I look great. My silky hair seemed to shine even more under the flickering candle-light, my eyes were smoky from Hillary's eye-shadow and liner and the killer smile on my face would knock Draco off his broom.

Lavender's clothes would have to do I suppose. A pair of skinny jeans (when truthfully I _hate _that fashion) and a cute little blouse with a dark floral print was all she could find.

"Oh, quick, it's nearly eight!" Daphne gushes, and she and Hillary push me from the room, saying things like: "Good luck!" and "Tell us _everything _when you get back!" I didn't realize girls were so nosy!

For a moment I have to stand in the quiet corridor and take a few deep breaths. I hold out my hands just to see if I'm shaking, and catch sight of the nail varnish.

…I have just had a makeover. I'm a guy, and I've just been treated to a manicure. In one quick realization, everything floods back, my _original _gender, my hatred for Malfoy, my allegiance to my friends and my sexuality...

This is the point where I start to freak out.

* * *


	13. Counting the Stars

**Chapter XIV**

**Counting the Stars**

Thinking back, I don't think I've ever been in such a state. My knees are shaking in my too tight jeans, my stomach feels like it's just dropped away from me and as Draco walks towards me, I see four of him. In any other situation, I'd see this as a blessing, but right now, I'm wandering which one to avoid throwing up on.

"Good evening." He greets quietly, flawlessly polite as he offers his hand for me to hold. I realize my own palms are cold and moist with sweat. Instead, I link my arm through his, and attempt a shaky smile.

"Are you ok?" He asks, looking down at me with mild interest, "You look a bit clammy." He probably thinks I've got the jitters over our first date, not that I'm secretly the boy he'd cursed and forgotten about suddenly realizing that he'd fancied his nemesis- as if he has an imagination big enough!

"Gee thanks!" I mutter, trying to keep on my feet. He helps steady me as he holds a soft hand to my forehead. It's almost as sweaty as mine- is he _really _nervous about this?

"Maybe we should skip the Quidditch match." He murmurs, stroking my temple now with his thumb. It helps considerably.

Even though I'm desperate to sweep the floor with him (with my broom), I still can't help muttering: "Mmm..."

"It's ok." He soothed, but it's really not! "I had a surprised planned anyway…"

…Forget gender confusion-"Surprise?" Draco nods, smirking, but in an achingly alluring manner. Butterflies flutter around my stomach as I dream up all the possibilities.

_Maybe it's a boat ride across the lake…_

_Or perhaps a midnight stroll over the grounds…_

_Could it possibly be a cute little picnic set in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch…?_

But it was so much better than my cliché attempts at an imagination. As Draco leads me quietly through the castle-surprisingly at ease for someone without an invisibility cloak or marauders map- I feel my heart beat grow gradually faster and faster. Just his hand in mind makes it so unbearable when I remember that I'm a guy and it's totally wrong…

_Look, you're not a guy at this moment, ok? You _chose_ to be a girl so you could get back at him. You were going to make him fall for you. Done. You wanted him to be completely assured that you're going steady. Nearly done- you can convince him tonight. Then all you have to do is…have sex with him…Easy, right?_

_It's not so hard! Sex nowadays is _always _based on revenge and lust! Two of the most important factors of the emotions that are raging in you right now. He wants you. You know deep down you want him, but you just _can't _let it get in the way. It's a stupid crush- just a stupid crush! Just concentrate on the seduction, remember it's just an act and for the love of _**MERLIN** _don't-look-into-his-eyes! You could get lost…_

"We're here…" He hisses over dramatically, swinging the door open and gesturing to a fancy candle lit dinner…what a prissy- OH I CAN'T DO IT!!

Here's what _really _happens:

"We're here." He smiles at me, his smoky eyes crinkling enticingly as he leads me into the astronomy tower. It's a beautiful, cloudless night. All the candles are snuffed out, apart from two sitting at an elegant table, holding two dishes of what looks like purple strawberries and cream that looks so fluffy it could be clouds.

"Since we've already had dinner," He tells me as I throw my head back and look at the stars, all nausea forgotten, "I thought we could just have a light dessert."

"It's perfect…" I breathe, "Draco, you are _good _at this." I'm spellbound. Enchanted. Charmed…Snap. OUT. Of. It. Remember every snide comment, every stupid impression, every fucking charade he's pulled to get you into trouble. He's a prick!

"_In the fifth year he changed…" Daphne reminisces..._

Maybe he's changed for the better?

ARGH! Stop trying to find a loop hole and seduce this bastard!

He pulls out a chair for me and I sit gracefully. He then walks round and sits down himself. He ignores his food and instantly takes my hands in his. They're so much bigger than mine, but this doesn't mean they're not elegant. His tendons are pronounced along his forearm, and I can just make out the fairest of hairs on his lovely arms.

"Lottie…" He sighs passionately, once again transforming into some unrecognizable creature, someone loving and kind, gentle and soft. I blink at him, daring him silently to go on, "I've grown to care about you so strongly…that a Quidditch Match just didn't seem good enough for our date."

Ugh. No words of love, already? I don't care about the date- at least I get some food! Yes, I may be seeming a little bit ungrateful and cheap, but this is me masking my true emotions…like isn't he kind, isn't he considerate, explaining why the sudden change of plans? He cares about me…really cares.

"I wanted to show you the stars from Hogwarts." Though he doesn't know I've seen them a million times in Astronomy. I pull up a coy smile and squeeze his hands in return. I don't think I'm quite ready for words.

"The stars are also symbolic." Oh here we go…'If I could- which I can't- I'd reach up into the sky and take down a star just for you!' Well if you could just reach up, it wouldn't symbolize much effort then would it? But what really comes out surprises me. A lot.

"They symbolize the fact that even if I had all the time in the world to count the many stars, I still wouldn't be able to condense what I feel into words, apart from those special three..." Is that a hint of color tinging his pale visage?

Three words…no, they can't be. It's been three _weeks_! My eyes widen despite myself, and I tense up, praying half that he'll say it and half that he won't-

"I love you."

* * *

I tug at him blindly, trying to find that oasis- and there it is- his lips, my lifeline.

I don't notice the room we're in, what does it matter?

As long as I'm up against him, filling his mind,

his heart,

his blood stream,

making sure that all he can see is me.

Lottie.

Not Harry. Why complicate things further with silly identities?

All that is, is now.

Is him.

Is us.

Here.

Kissing, exploring, fumbling, _burning._

His lips find my neck, and I arch, run my hand through his hair, _finally. _

All the while, I am spreading out my fingers and clutching them again across the expanse of his back.

But I miss his lips, so I crash mine against them once more.

It's so chaotic. It's so loud, the blood hammering in my head, the grazing of skin against skin.

And then…our clothes…we realize that they're really getting in the way- quite an inconvenience-why do we _have_ clothes? Why bother when all that matters is they _have _to come off. Now.

First his shirt, it's colour or design-whichever- is vague in my mind as it drops to the floor. The burning roars louder as my eyes travel across the plains of his chest, but my hands are doing most of the traveling.

He reacts to my touch,

Pulls me closer,

Wants me closer- _needs _me closer.

Now it's my turn, the floral blouse rips, but we don't hear it, and it falls to the floor_. _

More kisses, better than before, heated, scorching, flaming,

The rest of the clothes come off in a blur, and I'm _here_ with another boy,

Naked,

Together,

Not caring,

Don't let the thoughts in; open the gates and it'll come flooding back,

It will happen,

If it doesn't…

But there's no time to think because I feel myself pushed back, and I fall. I land on softness, bounciness. I land on a bed. He, Draco, He follows. He tells me

"I love you."

…Need you…

…Will you have me…?"

I think as he strokes my cheek, as I get lost in his eyes, forgetting what I had warned myself about. But it's too late now, everything is unraveling, everything is undone. I don't want the answer to be predictable. I want it to be different, a line he will always remember…I want it to be ours.

"You'll _always _have me…"

They're the right words. The ones I mean.

And we're aflame, we're flying, we're touching heaven,

We are one.

I am him

He is me

We are together…

What else is there to care about?

We are now.

* * *

I'm conscious. I'm aware that I'm in bed. But something tells me I'm not in the right one.

Perhaps it's the different bed sheets, or the morning sunlight blinding me when my actual bed is currently situated in the dungeons, which have no windows…

Perhaps it's the strong pair of arms that encircle me. Those belong to Draco, my…lover?

I make the slightest movement to see if he's awake, and his arms tighten around me, encasing me. My heart beat doubles at such a tiny gesture- no wait, it doubles because I just realize what I've done.

I've just had sex. With Draco Malfoy.

I've got to say…it's been a very strange past few weeks. I sit up, gently pulling his grasp apart. Luckily it doesn't wake him, and I am free to pull the duvet up to cover myself up a bit more. Now I'm sat up, I take a look around the room. It's pretty plain really, a great deal of candles- which I had _not _noticed last night- and our clothes adorning the floor. It seems very plain for a room of Hogwarts…as if it only contains the basic…necessities…

And then a very irritating idea pops into my head.

"I need…" I begin, suspiciously glancing around the room, "A muffin."

And there, as if it had been there all along, a plate on my lap bearing a very appetizing looking tray bake.

Great. I've done the ridiculously predictable- used the Room of Requirement for my midnight humping…!

With a 'Hmmmpf!', I cross my arms angrily, glaring at the innocent muffin. My heart leaps as I hear:

"Morning."

"Draco- you're awake?" I squeak, spinning to see him slung across the pillows, looking divine even in the morning. How rude…

"Looks like it…" He says gently, with a soft expression in his eyes, "Last night was…"

"Mmm." I fill in stiffly, edging the covers around me self-consciously. He strokes my bare back, sending shooting sensations down my spine.

"Amazing." He finishes contently, before pulling me down to lie with him. It's insane. He's naked. I'm naked. Last night this seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Now, however, it's totally cringe worthy! But that goes away when he presses his lips to mine.

"But there is one little thing…" He whispers as we break apart, resting his forehead against mine, exhaling as if something was really troubling him.

"What…?" I ask, touching his cheek. His grey eyes find mine, and he looks incredibly apprehensive.

He's not going to break up with me? _Not that I care of course_! But still- what a prick! Has he really been leading me on just for a shag? If that's it then I was wrong all along, he never changed, he's always been the same, self-centered, obnoxious-

"You really think I wouldn't know it was you, Potter?"

* * *

**BOMBSHELL! Haha I love those...never do a story without one. ;D**


	14. The Cat becomes the Mouse

**Chapter XIV**

**The Cat Becomes the Mouse**

My jeans can't come on quick enough, my hair is off on its own adventure around my head and my heart is beating so fast I swear I'm about to flat-line.

"Harry…" Draco lulls and it sickens me as I hear my own name, my real name out in the open again, through his lips with such a loving tone.

"N-no…" I stammer, as I cringe away from him, my shirt on inside out because I was so desperate to cover myself up. He's still lying in the exact same position, perfectly calm and collected, as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't just blown everything wide open.

He _knew…_

All along he knew…

I can't WIN with this guy. No matter what I do I can't win…

The muffin lies on the floor, in a pool of crumbs and shattered porcelain. His clothes are strewn with mine, showing our unbearable deed.

"Why? Why the _hell _did you go along with it?" I shriek, picking up anything to throw at him. Unfortunately, it just happens to be his boxers. And I miss anyway. So dignified… but what's the point of saving myself from shame? I've never been so humiliated!

"I could ask you the same thing." He says pointedly, making NO SENSE AT ALL! Oh wait…

And then…it comes together.

"You planned it all along." I whisper, completely horrified, as Draco nods, satisfied, "You knew that I'd try and get back at you…so you played along…so you could get back at me _again._"

Draco looks confused, "No, actually, I wasn't trying to get back at you." And he sits up, causing the covers to just slip off of him. I flinch and snap my eyes shut.

"I need a towel." Draco says clearly and with authority. When I open my eyes again he has a fluffy white towel wrapped around his slim waist. But I can still see that wonderful chest…however, I remember the situation, and with reward-winning effort, pull my eyes up to meet his.

"What do you _mean _you weren't trying to get back at me?" I demand, completely confused. Draco laughs softly, shaking his head at my dim-wittedness.

"Oh Potter, without Weasley and Granger to help you you're positively abysmal at figuring things out, aren't you?" He chuckles, looking at me with affection. Ugh!

"Just tell me what the FUCK is going on!" I yell, not caring for the consequences. Everything is muddled, the whole plan falling to pieces. Now I'm not even sure why I haven't ran from the room in defeat.

"It _was _all a plan, yes…" He says silkily, approaching me cautiously, "But not to get back at you. If I wanted to do that I'd have done it years ago. You really did swallow that line about jealousy didn't you? I knew that after I walked past you in the Great Hall when you'd just found out. _'Jealousy,"_ You'd said, _"Is such a petty thing, Malfoy.' _"

I feel so sick and so confused. I can't even move as he comes ever closer.

"What was it a plan for then?" I ask shakily, my throat raw and my common sense dulling.

"To make you realize." He says simply after he's finish approaching me, stroking my cheek. With exasperation, I realize that he can still make my tremble.

"Realize what?"

"That we're meant to be. That we're perfect for each other. That deep down, you love me." He whispers. My mind spirals, and I am out of control.

"THAT'S CRAZY!" I shout, slapping his hand away, shoving his bare chest, but he hardly jolts. It's infuriating. The night before, a single touch sent him shivering. Now I'm powerless, "I don't love you, not even _like _you! This was just a plan to get you back for turning me into a fucking WHOOPSIE!"

He laughs lightly and I burn up, furious.

"Yes, initially that was your intention." He tells me angelically, "But then you began to see me in a new light, through the eyes of a girl, who sees me as a romantic opportunity. Most of them do. I've even caught Granger looking at me wistfully a couple of times." He wrinkles his nose in disgust automatically.

"BASTARD! She'd never stoop so low!" I scream, but doubt still rings through my mind.

"And so you fell for me." He continues, as if I'd never interrupted, "And the cat became the mouse. It was simple, really. I just had to rely on your bad temper and your one weakness: love."

"Oh, now you sound like Voldemort!" I spit, and he only smiles with amusement.

"You're being so dramatic, Potter. You don't need to bring him into _everything, _you know."

"OH GO TO- wait." I stop mid screech and look at him with complete terror, "_we're perfect for each other'_? What the hell?"

"Oh, didn't I ever mention? Of course, I never would, not when you were a boy." He says quietly, almost to himself. Then he looks at me seductively, sneakily, sexily, "I'm quite taken with you, Potter. This was all a plan to make you see that really, deep down, you like me too."

I gawp at him, everything clicking into place…

…_"God, he hated the boy so much, we thought he fancied him!"…_

…_"You mean a lot to me..." He whispers, staring deep into my eyes, as if he's trying to seek out another person in them…_

"Urgh-no-way-" I gasp, snatching breaths between each word I choke out. He seems bemused at my reaction. What the _hell _did he expect?!

"It all started in our fifth year…" He recalls out of the blue, looking distant as the memories re-visit him, "Umbridge was polluting the school and I was pretty certain I loathed you…every day I'd make a comment, perhaps about something really pathetic. I've never been one for tact…every day I'd nearly make you snap, but Granger would always manage to calm you and the weasel down, so I thought it would never come to anything, I would just make your day just that little bit more unbearable than it was already- being that annoying boy who lived and everything…I was sure you would just lie down and take it…and then came the Quidditch Match."

I can't help but reminisce- the burning resentment is so familiar as I remember the day Umbridge banned me and the twins from Quidditch, all because Malfoy couldn't stand the fact he had lost.

"I must've gone overboard, because you went crazy, absolutely wild- I'd never seen you so angry." Mild surprise colours his tone even now, "But it wasn't the fact that you almost _killed _me that shook me that day, it was how I felt when you were on top of me- laying into me albeit, but it was the first ever physical contact we'd shared…it was like electricity coursing through my veins, I-" He has to take a breath, has to control himself and his emotions. While he has so much to say, I can find nothing. This is just…ridiculous.

"So I forgot about everything…I changed. I didn't _care _about my wealth, my broom, the mudbloods…all I cared about was you, just catching a glimpse, just saying something to you and watching the fire ablaze in your eyes…it's what I lived for."

This is definitely he most I have heard him speak in my life. As it all comes together, I remember Daphne dishing out the gossip that night in our dormitory…

"_But then in fifth year…he just…went quiet. It was like he switched off. He would just sit quietly in the common room, in lessons, at mealtimes, hardly ever joining in the conversation-whatever it was, it affected him hugely…"_

"Merlin, I'm such an _idiot_." I groan to myself, "Why didn't I realize, there were enough clues…"

"Like I said, Potter…" Draco says softly, his thumb brushing the arch of my ear, "You really do need your friends to help you out, don't you?"

"Would you stop that?" I snap, seizing his wrist and glaring at him, "If you're gay, then how could you even _bare _to sleep with me?"

"When you love someone strongly enough…" He whispers, something very unlike the Draco Malfoy I know glinting in his eyes. It makes me uncomfortable, but wistful as well…

_You can't _possibly _still like him…_

"Well I don't love you." I snap. In the back of my mind, I wonder why there is a dull pain in my stomach as I say this.

Draco laughs.

"Why on earth are you fighting it? What I saw last night was real passion, Potter." Why does it hurt that he uses my last name, distancing himself from me? "How can you possibly deny your love for me?" And I find his lips at my neck.

"There's no _way _I could love you!" I have to shout it so I can hear myself over my pounding heartbeat, "You're delusional. It was a plan to hurt you, to hurt you in a way that no one else could-"

"But then you realized that your plan was senseless." Draco interrupts, his nose in my hair, "The whole time you were fighting with yourself, I saw it in your eyes every day, every time I won you over just a little bit more. You were aching to forget who you were and fall for me properly. Last night, for instance, you looked so jumpy, so . I knew it was because you were having a little bit of an episode- after all, you don't even know who you are anymore…"

"STOP DOING THAT!" I shriek, stumbling backwards because his hands are wrapping around me. "You _don't know me. _All you know is how to tick me off!" How can I admit that everything he has just said is spot on? It's not pride…it's fear. If I admit _anything _to him it will mean the person I once was counts for nothing, as if I'd never existed...

So I do the typical Harry Potter: I bolt it.

* * *

_**Such a Drama Queen..!**_


	15. Hermione's Homework is Halted

**Chapter XV**

**Hermione's Homework is Halted**

"Harry?!" Hermione, thank _Merlin,_ it's Hermione…even in the early hours of the morning you're sure to find her in the inviting calm of the library. Thank heavens for homework…

"Morning..." I whimper, and collapse into a chair beside her. I've ran all the way from the room of requirement so I'm pretty short of breath, which only adds to the problem of me hyperventilating. I let my head fall to the desk with a thud, because I'm tired of things spinning.

"Is it-?"

"Draco, yes." I gasp. Why can I only see spots? I'm completely calm!

_Aside from the fact that Draco Malfoy fancies me __and I'm a girl but I'm a boy and I've had a manicure and I've just _slept _with him and I __should really be worrying about silly, trivial things like homework and Voldemort!_

"…I see." No, she really _doesn't,_ "He seems to be the route of your problems lately…this whole plan thing was fun at first, but I shudder to thing how it's affecting your schoolwork…" Trust her to lose sight of all things fun and turn back to the academic side of the spectrum…!

"I think seducing Draco grabs hold of my attention with slightly more vigor than ten foot long essays on Transfiguring Knitting Needles!" I spit. Hermione simply sighs, muttering something about 'PM..D?' Well whatever that means, she still can't help prying.

"What's the problem?"

Ah, sweet Hermione…if the problem was something completely innocent then she'd know what it was before I'd collapsed through the door. But anything on the darker side of the watershed and she's lost.

"Doesn't he like you?" She asks timidly. I snort in reply. Oh, the irony! That's what people say when utterly bitter, right?

"Oh he likes me," I assure her.

"…Then I don't understand." This obviously frustrates her.

"Well…" Oh, how the _hell_ do I tell her? We were all under the impression that the whole scheme would be quick and clean- not drawn out and incredibly messy. I was supposed to flirt with him, get him interested, _really _interested and then crush him- not jump into bed with him…how the hell is everyone going to react?

"Harry, you realize that your blouse is inside out, backwards _and _torn? Oh and you're not wearing shoes?"

I freeze, and keep my head on the table so I don't have to look at her.

"…Yes."

"I'm not an imbecile, Harry," She sighs, "Even when it comes to sex. In fact, I'm pretty experie-" But I'm already up on my feet.

"_I HAD SEX WITH DRACO MALFOY!_" I scream, to get it out (which feels great!) and to stop ourselves from going down the route of talking about Hermione's sex life. I'd _love _to stay under the impression that it's non-existent, thanks.

She stares at me with wide eyes.

"Oh dear." She sighs, "I knew this would happen…"

"Well at least you lived up to my expectations, know-it-all!" I say snippily, having no patience for patience, "It's no big deal-"

"-It is if you actually fancy him." She contradicts. I can't move. I can't breathe.

"I…don't…" I splutter, shaking from head to toe.

"Oh, don't be an idiot." She scolds, "Sit down."

I oblige.

"Now." She says briskly, and I'm instantly reminded of McGonagoll, "What has _possessed you_?!"

I stare at her. "Nothing…oh, Hermione, I don't know what's happened! It was only meant to be a bit of fun, but then I found myself actually drawn to him! It's like I have a fever every time I see him…" Just thinking about him makes me want to hyperventilate again, or maybe get up and dance.

She just shakes her head. "I can't believe it…you're gay?"

I fidget uncomfortably, "I...I guess so?" It's strange to admit it, but it feels as if the doors have finally opened and fresh air is flooding in, "It gets worse…so is Malfoy."

It's her turn to jump up out of her seat. "NO WAY!" She screams, clutching her hair, glancing around her, because she's broken the silence rule of the blessed Library, but old Madame Pince or whatever is probably still tucked up in bed with Filch.

"Yes way…" I say grimly. I watch her calculate everything, which is quite amusing.

"Oh my-" She stammers, "He…knew you were…going-to-do-it-all-along! The plan, I mean.. He liked you…probably why he kept making jokes about to, to _cover _it up…then he couldn't wait any longer, he _wanted _you-"

"All right, all right, keep it clean." I interrupt hastily.

"And he knew you had a temper…so if he changed you into a girl, there's only one thing you _could _do, make him hot for you!"

"I'm not really used to you using such phrases-"

"Please, I'm hanging out with Ginny on a regular basis…anyway be quiet." She orders, and I sit back meekly in my seat.

"This was all a plan to make you fall for him, too!" And she collapses back into her chair with a look of awe on her face, "He's good…"

"Mhm." I agree grimly, "So what do I do?"

"You're not going to stay a girl forever are you?" She asks in horror. I shake my head.

"Why the hell would I do that? It's been a month and I'm exhausted!"

"Well I'm sure he'd prefer your original form anyway…" She snickers. I stare at her for a while.

"Actually, Hermione, I know you can work out a lot of things in a second, but how _did _you know I liked him?"

She smiles at me for a while, half mocking half pity.

"Well, Harry, since when did you call him _Draco?_"

* * *

_**It's a short one, I know, but it has the effect I wanted! I promise a long one next time! ;D Although it may possibly be the last chapter...SOB!  
**_

_**Love you guys as always! x**_


	16. Mantroll Gets Miffed

**Chapter XVI**

**Mantroll Gets Miffed**

"Draco, you're just going to have to accept that I can't be with you."

"I'm Harry Potter- you're Draco Malfoy…well you _know _that but…"

"Ok, so you're hot. It doesn't mean I'm in love with you! You're a git!"

"…Well maybe I _do _like you. But this doesn't mean we can just…"

"…I want you."

None of these seem to fit my emotions. The last one came closest in any case. I stare at myself in the mirror, my helpless eyes, my pouting lips, my…gorgeous cheek bones…

FOCUS!

It's all so complicated.

I like him. A whole _lot. _

But I didn't when I was a guy- I hated him, any thought of him disgusted me.

Is it possible that…I was really just covering up something that I just didn't want to be there?

Surely I'd notice?

It's all so confusing. When did life get so complicated? All I used to worry about was the odd mass murderer after me or the spawn of Satan having a slight grudge on me. Now I can hardly breathe!

…Well I know I have to turn back into a boy sometime. There's no way I can stay in this state forever. But then…if I even _dream _of getting together with Malfoy, then that makes me gay, which just makes things so messy! What will my friends say? My teachers? Ron seems like the kind of guy who'd be a homophobe, definitely. How will he act around me? He's awkward enough when I'm a girl…when I'm a full on gay he'll probably have an aneurism. Things would be so different…

But if I change back to a boy, and just pretend my feelings never happened, that my heart never pounded with his as we…then I'm bound to go insane! Which let's face it; I'm near to the mark now anyway!

"Lottie?"

I spin round from the mirror I've just been rehearsing in and see Esme peeking around the door. I find it hard not to roll my eyes just at her presence.

"Hi Esme." I say sullenly, too weighed down by everything that's piling on top of me to even muster good manners, "What do you want?"

"Well…" She steps in properly now, clasping her hands together, "It's Pansy. She wants to talk to y-" But she's already been shoved aside into a wall.

"Alright." Pansy snaps, storming in and giving me a look that could curdle potion, "I've had enough of this. I want you to break it off with Malfoy."

"Excuse me?" Excuse _her_! What the hell does she think she's doing? One pathetic as Pansy will _not _have me obeying her every request. I wouldn't lend her a hairbrush if she _begged _me.

"You heard me. You're only stringing him along anyway! I do _care _about him you know. I don't want to see a freak like you hurting him!" She shrieks, pointing an accusing finger at me wildly. And foolishly.

"Honestly, Pansy." I roll my eyes, taking on that 'can't be bothered' stance and relishing her fury at my casual manner, "Even if I was, wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake? Malfoy would follow me anywhere even if I was just dating him for kicks, or for nighttime fun-" I see her eye begin to twitch at these words and just _know _that she's been imagining him naked for years. Hilarious-"He'd still play along, whereas even after you pour your heart and soul into being his little lapdog, doing his homework, washing his robes, licking his _feet…_he's still not interested, is he?"

I watch her being to tremble with anger, watching her fists form fists and her eyes sparkle with resentment.

"Just shows whose got it. And who doesn't." I say sweetly, granting her a sickly smile.

_Go on…hex me…come on! _

But she doesn't. This is ridiculous. I once saw her curse a girl for looking at her funny. I'm the first person (including her parents, probably) who has dared to stand up to her, and she flees the room. Daphne and Hillary are at the door, listening. They act as if they don't see her. Esme bustles out after her. I chuckle to myself.

"Nice…" Daphne said, staring after them, "You can't get much more dignified than that!"

"Don't you think you're getting just a little bit_ too_ mean, Lottie?" Hillary accuses. I blink at her. Surprising. I've never thought of it as mean. Just putting her in her place I guess.

I don't _want _to be mean…  
"Oh please!" Daphne scoffed, "You can't get meaner than Pansy!"

"But she really _does _care about, Malfoy. And he's our friend too." Hillary turns to me, her expression darker than before. It was the kind of expression I saw whenever she spoke about mudbloods. I mean muggle borns.

"You're not _really _leading him on are you, Lottie?" Straight and serious. It's funny that she has no idea that this is the question I've been asking myself for the last month.

_You're not leading him on at _all, _are you? This is true romance to you…and _now _look: you're stuck in deep shit!_

_What are you going to do now?_

_This really is a bit of a pickle, isn't it?_

Shut up! I decide to answer truthfully, to Hillary and Daphne, and most importantly to myself.

"No." I say, "No, I really like him..."

I say it so seriously that they're convinced.

* * *

"Potter, nice to see you."

Dammit! How can he make me flare up instantly with just a simple greeting? I continue to get out my ingredients for potions as he slides into the seat next to me without another word.

"Well, we may as well call this _our _table." He's right I guess. We've sat here together every time ever since I put the plan into action. That day feels like years ago. A lot's changed. I've changed.

"Don't count on it." I find myself back to my usual Harry Potter self as I growl at him through a clenched jaw, "Pretty soon I'm going to be a boy again. You think I'd still sit next to you then?"

He's silent for a while, watching me with mild interest, which pisses me off.

"I think you would if your friends weren't watching." He says finally. Bitter shame sweeps through me as my face burns red.

"It's not about them." I lie.

"Oh it's _all _about them." He tells me, and for the first time since it all started I can hear anger touching his tone, "Why the hell should you care what they think?"

"Who says I even like you?" I shoot at him, a feeble attempt to stop him in his tracks. It's half-hearted…for some reason I can't stand the thought of hurting his feelings or lying to him.

"Don't even try that." He spits at me, the rest of the class completely oblivious to a conversation they'd be so darn interested in if they weren't chattering happily amongst themselves, "We both know how you feel. I'll steal some fucking Veritaseum if that's what it takes, Harry." And for the second time, he uses my proper name…it's so personal…so intimate to me. I find I can't look away, I can't lie anymore.

"Fine." I grumble, "As stupid as it sounds, I like you."

"How much." His hard exterior is gone and all is left is a forlorn teenager, dreading the answer…

"A lot." I tell him grudgingly, "More than I should, let alone thought I ever _would._" His spirits seem to lift as he turns to the front and doesn't say another word.

"You sound so funny when you're a girl." He tells me quietly, after Snape has done his rounds of doing our Potions for us, "That's the first impression I got from you. You managed to fool everyone else with your new-found feminine charm but I could see right through it. The moment you stepped through the door, I just knew. My heart beat so fast because I knew that soon, so _soon _you would be falling for me…you sounded just like yourself, but with a higher voice. It was hard not to laugh for the first few days."

I listen to this politely, finding myself very interested in his side of the story. How long he had to pretend…just like me. And now what? Will it end in love or return to the stale hatred?

"You still haven't decided, have you?" He asks calmly, keeping his voice low so it's merely an undertone in the drone of the class. I feel my cheeks become warmer and shake my head.

"Well, could you make it up soon? I don't think I can wait much longer…" It's so strange that he's being polite to me. Before I thought it was because he had no idea who I was, but now he's still being rational.

"I'll try." I promise quietly. I don't want to keep stringing him along, just like Pansy had accused. I don't want to hurt him. Shouldn't that just answer my question for me?

"Well, meet me in the astronomy tower tonight at Midnight." He says, "Tell me then."

"…Ok." A deadline. Great. That makes it a whole lot more difficult.

Unable to stop myself, I glance over, and watch his tender eyes bore into mine. I let my gaze sweep over his strong, broad chest and sturdy forearm, his snowy sleeves still rolled up…I want to reach out and stroke his milky skin, feel his racing pulse at my hand…it's like an addiction. I take a deep breath and stir my potion absentmindedly.

"It's a date." I _have _to look back: I don't want to miss that wink…

* * *

"Urm…hello." Ron says stiffly. I roll my eyes.

"Ron, it's _me _ok? Aren't you a little bit pleased to see me?"

He doesn't answer and keeps shoveling down his lunch. Hermione rolls her eyes and puts down her fork.

"What's up, Lottie?" She says, careful to keep my disguise going in front of the Hufflepuffs that could be listening from the adjacent table.

"I need to change back. Today. Now, if possible." I say as calmly as possible. She blinks.  
"What happened with-?"

"Can you do it?" I interrupt, really not in the mood to discuss what has been hanging over my head all day. Her warm brown eyes show understanding and she nods.

"Of course. Let's do it in the Bathrooms."

And she rises. We walk down the aisle together. I think I'll miss this body…I haven't had to do my own homework for ages- it's amazing what boys will do for a pretty face. It's been nice being able to do things with my hair...but most of all; I'm going to miss Draco.

I can't do it. I can't be with him. My world would just be turned upside down! My friends would hate me; my whole _house _would hate me. Perhaps even the whole school! I should be dating girls- it's easy to get one: I'm the boy who _lived. _

It's the right thing to do.

_If it is…then why are my knees shaking? Why does my future without him seem boring, bleak and pointless?_

If anything, I-

"YOU…**SLUT!!**"

Those two words silence the whole hall and make my heart stop. The teachers glance up, every head including mine swivels to look at Pansy Parkinson, who is standing on her chair. Never have I seen her look so furious, so terrifying and so hideous. And she's pointing at me.

I groan loudly. "What. NOW?! You CHORE of a girl!?" My exclamation rings around the hall and subconsciously, I notice storm clouds in the enchanted ceiling gather and rumble menacingly.

"You…" She growls, she snorts, and my GOD there's something quite disturbing about this girl! "You _slept _with him!"

There's a collective gasp, a few hoots of shock and shrieks of laughter. Hermione sighs, exasperated that the secret is out for the whole school to hear. If you haven't noticed, Hogwarts isn't exactly a Love Shack, so this is a BOMBSHELL.

"Who?!" A girl called out. Pansy answered happily.

"DRACO MALFOY!!" She condemns, her eyes wide and her teeth bared. Her hair could stand to have a brush wrenched through it and even from far away her nails are bitten back to the finger. For a moment I feel sorry for her. "MY boyfriend!" Ok, now not so much. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the Gryffindors- who know my true identity- gape at me in horror. They definitely weren't expecting _that._ Ron has gone deathly pale, apart from his burning ears.

_Shit. Just keep it cool. Spin a story later!_

"I'd like to see you prove it!" I counter, my best attempt at keeping everyone, especially Gryffindor, from the truth.

"Well, _they _told me all about it!" She shrieks, pointing now and Daphne and Hillary, who both watch me blankly, not even attempting to put on expressions of unconvincing shame. What did I expect- that I could trust Slytherin Sluts? What do I care? Soon I'll be back where I belong- in Gryffindor, without any bitchy mess to clean up hastily in _public. _

"Oh come on, those two are a couple of back-stabbers." I don't need to bluff, I mean every word. They watch me, expressionless and uncaring. Cold-hearted trouts…ok maybe I care a little bit…they gave me my first Manicure! Does that not count for _anything_?

So this is a bitch-fight…might as well give it my best shot!

"They ditched you to be friends with me, didn't they? Everyone seems to prefer me to you, Pansy. Seems I can just get everything you've worked hard for without any effort." I love to watch her seethe.

"Well, you were wearing the same clothes you were the day before! I REMEMBER!!" She screeches, but uncertainly, willing to grasp at anything to watch me suffer.

"It's a school _uniform_." I spit, deciding to leave out the fact that I was borrowing Lavender Brown's clothes for that night, "And if you _can _remember, can you tell me what the day _was_?"

She splutters to a stop.

"Pansy." I tell her, keeping it cool so I don't show myself up and show her up even more, "We've gone through this, sweetheart, Draco was never your boyfriend." Actually, on the subject, where _is _he? I take a quick scan but see him no where. Thank God. Otherwise it could be really awkward.

"We…we still had a thing!" She insists, but she's got nothing and she knows it. She's humiliated herself for no particular reason. Nice one.

"Oh for Merlin's Pantaloons!" I cry in frustration, realizing that I'd already lost my dignity with that exclamation, why not just piss into the wind along with the silly cow? Let them know the truth! What's the worst that can…well don't say that. "Let it go! So I _shagged_ him!" The boys guffaw, the girls don't know whether to giggle or not; most of them are sizing me up, ready to spread the rumor that I'm a man. Well the joke's on them…! "You're just sour because you knew it'd never happen for you even if you slipped him love potion!"

There's a collective 'OOOOOH' from the onlookers and I have to stop myself from yelling at them too. I've already made myself look like a big enough prat.

"He's probably just leading you along for sex ANYWAY! What would he want with a skank who hangs out with mudbloods?!" She gestures wildly to Hermione and I lose my dwindling patience completely. And once again, her mouth gets too big for her security enforcements, which have dwindled to Esme. Half of the school's population rose out of fury, and then the other half so they could get a good look. She seems pretty much lost for words. And just when it starts to look as if Pansy won't live to see Malfoy's perfect features ever again, the teachers ruin the fun.

"That is QUITE enough!" Professor McGonagall called sharply, rising out of her seat. Professor Dumbledore looks quite astonished- it's probably his first experience of a bitch fight, although I'm sure he's stolen a couple of girls' boyfriends in his time… "Now if you want to continue this childish behavior, take it outside!"

Now, _I _think she was being sarcastic. The rest of the school's population on the other hand…well before I know it everyone is out of their seats and I am being swept backwards with an ocean of pupils.

"Wait- stop- she was being SARCASTIC!" I bellow, but no one hears me, or ignores me, "Oh bollocks…"

"Well, Harry." Hermione says as she's being shoved along with me, not even bothering to use my fake name because everyone's too busy thinking about the bitch-fight that is about to commence, "Just remember the spell I taught you, it should stop her in her tracks!" And she's pulled away from me. I'm alone. Great. And about to face Pansy. What the hell was that spell again? 'Mantroll' backwards…_Llortnam_! Ok, keep that in mind and maybe you'll get out of this so you can go and reclaim your testicles as planned!

Soon enough we're in the grounds and everyone's formed into a nice big circle so Pansy and I can share an arena. They're pretty organized when they want to be…damn them!

"Right, Charm." Pansy spits, "So you've been sleeping around."

"Parkinson," I begin, raising a haughty eyebrow, making sure I _own _the crowd, "You're just jealous that you're not."

"WHY WOULD I BE JEALOUS OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU?" She demands.

"Well she keeps a cool head." A Ravenclaw cools out.

"Yeah she's got more…watchacallit…common sense."

"She's cooler."

"She's thinner."

"More confident."

"Nice arse." Worded simultaneously by the Weasley Twins.

All the while Pansy is finding it difficult to control herself.

"What's the problem, Pansy?" I ask mockingly, as the teachers run over to break it up…oh wait, they're just watching, "Not a fan of constructive criticism?"

With one shrill cry, Pansy whips out her wand and points it straight at me. She shrieks the spell I least expected her to say. When really I should've realized it was the one she was most _likely _to.

"_Llortnam_!"

* * *

**The Penultimate Chapter...I can't believe that this is our last cliffhanger, folks! We've had a lot of them! I've been waiting forever to find out what that spell does, haven't you?**

**I'll have you know I spent AGES getting this chapter up; not only did it take forever to write, but my computer kept playing up, to the extent that I was yelling at everybody. I get like that...and when I calm down I realize what a Volcano I've been.**

**Well, that was an insight into my life! Hope you enjoyed the chapter- stay tuned for the Story's End.**

**x**

* * *


	17. Victory

**Chapter XVII**

**Victory**

When I wake up, all I can hear is shrieking. I can hear the Weasley Twins swearing joyfully and Hagrid joining them.

I decide to open my eyes…and I find that…everything's blurry. I can hardly see a thing. What the hell does this spell…do…?

Oh.

"Hermione." And there it is; the deep rustle of _my _voice, "Do you by any chance have my glasses?"

Hermione, who was standing next to me as Pansy hexed me, kneels down and hands them to me.

"I was keeping them on me in case you ever wanted to be changed back." She whispers, but I can hardly hear her over the bedlam.

"OH. MY._** GOD!!**_**" **

"It's _Harry Potter._"

"_He _was the girl!?"

"He _SHAGGED MALFOY!_"

The roars of the crowd become louder at these realizations. It's giving me a bloody headache.

To be honest, I really should've realized what that spell did. I think I could've reflected it, but I was so shocked by the whole coincidence and if I'm _really _honest I wanted to see what it did!

Anyway, no time like the present. I think it's time I faced my audience…I struggle onto my feet, and feel a little disorientated when I realize that I'm a lot taller than I was a couple of minutes ago.

I take in the crowd's expressions. Most of them look incredibly shocked, some scared, some horrified like most of Slytherin who had thought I was just a simple hot girl, not their enemy Harry Potter. The Gryffindors look…pretty pissed… Fred and George are pissing themselves, though. Snape looks bloody traumatized! Oh yeah, he's probably remembering all those times he came onto me. Well that's bound to torment him for the rest of his life.

And then…Pansy. She's swaying on her feet, her eyes popping out of her head and her wand is still raised.

"…Harry…Potter…" She rasps, before collapsing into a heap. No one runs to catch her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zacharias Smith demands. Stuck up little prick always needs to get involved…I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Malfoy cursed me into a girl-" A wave of laughter ripples through the crowds. Even the teachers look slightly amused. Snape is still gawking, a twitch beginning to jump in his cheek, "So I planned to get my own back by seducing him and then breaking his heart." There's no scream of mirth to follow _that_. Tough crowd…

"…Isn't that a bit gay?"

"And did you _have _to shag him?" Ginny calls out angrily. I avoid her eyes, too scared to answer.

"Ok, maybe I got a _little _bit carried away but…" I begin to explain, having no idea where I'm going with this.

"So you ended up fancying him?" Hannah Abbott asks with glee.

"No, I never said that-"

"Of course he does." Hillary calls out, "He _told _us himself."

"You sick BASTARD!" Alicia Spinnet shrieks, "Draco _Malfoy_?"

"That's disgusting…" Zabini drawls, "Even for you Potter."

"Can't believe Harry Potter fancies Draco Malfoy…"

"…Really freaky, what's his problem?..."

"…Sounds like this 'plan' of his was really just him trying to get him into bed…"

"…A gay love story at _Hogwarts_? Surely Bloomsbury wouldn't-"

"**SHUT UP!!**" I end up having to bellow, "Isn't _Malfoy _getting any stick for this?"

Silence.

"What's Malfoy got to do with this?" Some imbecile asks.

"EVERYTHING!" I roar, "HE started it! HE turned me into a girl because he KNEW I'd try and seduce him to get my own back! He wanted me to fall for him! HE FANCIES ME!!"

There's a silence.

Then there's laughter.

These people are KILLING ME! Though I have to admit, it sounded stupid even to _me._

"Yeah, right…!" Padma Patil giggles, clutching her sides, "_Draco Malfoy _fancies _you_. I mean, we can totally believe you've got the hots for him, but Malfoy could seriously do better!"

There's a huge murmur of agreement.

"Well." I snap. "Thanks. If you people don't want to believe me FINE. This wasn't even meant to be for the whole of the Wizarding World to hear. It was between Malfoy and me- but good old Foghorn FM here had to broadcast. " I nudge the lifeless Pansy with my girly pumps, which are straining to hold my now big feet.

"So…what- are you and him an 'item' then?" Someone shouts out.

"…PISS OFF!" I shriek, "Haven't you all nosed in enough! I just want to get back to my common room, put my feet up and devour an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's!"

And I push through the crowds and once again, bolt it. But not before hearing:

"So the girl hormones still haven't _quite _rubbed off…"

* * *

It's nice to be back in the Gryffindor Common room. Although, I don't think it's _exactly_ as I remembered. For starters, I think it was safe to sit down on a seat without having to check for poisonous pins waiting for me before. Also, I'm pretty certain people _spoke _to me. I was quite popular really. Ron used to talk to me a _lot_. I kind of miss it…

"Hi, Dennis!" I call out, stooping to the lowest of lows as the mini Creevey scuttles past. He ignores me. Weird…I'm pretty sure my invisibility cloak _isn't _on…

"Hello, Harry." Hermione says delicately as she takes a seat next to me.

"Hermiiiione." I sing, smiling lazily as I pick a hole in my trousers. There's not much to do around here anymore…

"Are you ok?" She asks timidly, watching me closely.

"It's allll good…"

"…are you drunk?"

I sigh and resume normalcy. "No just depressed."

"Because no one's talking to you?"

"No…"

"Because the whole school knows you're gay?"

"_No…_"

"Because they're all planning to spit into your pumpkin juice every morning for the rest of your school life?"

"…They are? No- look Hermione. Ok maybe that bothers me a little bit…but it's…

"Draco," She smiles ironically, "It's always Draco, isn't it Harry?"

"…Well, no actually, most of the time it's been Voldemort-"

"Whatever- why _don't _you just go out with him?"

"Because I've already been through this in my head. I'd lose everything else. Everyone would hate me and I don't want to give up everything just for him…kind of…"

"Harry." Hermione says, becoming stern, "Look around you. Everyone _already _hates you. Either you're ignoring it or you're insane or very flakey, but my _goodness_ they despise you."

I watch the fire crackle lazily in front of me, taking that all in and wondering how the hell she thinks it'll make me feel better.

"…Well thanks for the pick-me-up!" And I make to stand up.

"No, Harry I wasn't finished." She sighed, and pulled my back down. "The point is- your worst fears have happened, ok? There's _nothing _stopping you from going out with him apart from what everybody thinks. And since _when _have you cared about that?"

I think for a moment. Maybe she _is _right.

"But they might forgive me if I stay away from him." I counter. I don't really know _why _I'm trying to convince myself to stay away from Draco, when all I want is to go and see him and tell him what I've been feeling perhaps since the first year!

"Harry, they'd forgive you _anyway_." Hermione says frustratedly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're the best seeker Gryffindors seen for a _long _time I'd guess." She smiles serenely as it all comes together, "They're not going to stay mad at you for long. Just wait until you win the next match."

"…You're right Hermione…_everything _comes back to Quidditch!" I realize with glee.

"As much as I hate it, it's true." She sighs, "So really, there's nothing to lose is there?"

I beam at her, before yanking her into a joyous hug.

"You're a genius!" I tell her, before springing off the sofa and sprinting out of the Common Room.

As I bolt through the corridors, up the winding staircases and the tapestries I feel alive, so alive, even more so than that night spent with Draco. But it's OK; we have a thousand more nights to top it…

* * *

**Draco Malfoy**

It's a beautiful evening. Even though I planned the meeting to be at Midnight I found myself here instead of attending Dinner. I don't think I could sit at the same table as him when he was deciding my fate. I don't suppose I missed much anyway…

I've always found the Astronomy Tower relaxing. I tried to convince father to install one into the Manor but he doesn't have time for the stars- only illegal artifacts and slinking around the Ministry. I lie back on one of the work tops and just gaze at the stars, forgetting my surroundings, forgetting everything, even him. Although it's a hard task.

I remember the past month spent with only him, in the form of a female I admit, but it was still him inside there. It was a sacrifice I had to make in order to gain the ultimate prize. Him. Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived, and who is alive in me.

Maybe he is already a man again. I tremble at the thought of it, wishing with my being that he has, and that he'll say yes, yes to me being his. But I have to rely on him to just forget what everyone thinks. It's always been one of his weaknesses. Although I did as well. That's why I hid my feelings and decided to be a right bastard to him. But now…I just don't care.

Now I've had a taste of him…everything else seems pointless without him. In fact, I'd _enjoy_ to be talked about. Let them gossip, _we'd _be the ones having the fun. Maybe then Pansy would get the hint good and proper as well…another advantage of me having a girlfriend; the insufferable girl kept her distance.

"Draco?"

My heart flies to my mouth. Dammit! How can he make my body set on fire with just a simple greeting? I leap off the table and see…him. In all his glory- a man. His raven hair, wild and untamable falls into those jaded eyes (which I've missed so much) that are gazing at…me, with something I've been waiting for years to see. He's tall again, his skin--slightly more seasoned than mine--is flushed with what? Excitement? Embarrassment? It drives me wild as I try to figure out just what he's thinking.

"…Harry." I choke. Honestly, I can never keep it casual around him. For the past month he must have thought I was a dithering fool! "You're early," State the obvious…!

"Couldn't stay away." He grins sheepishly, and already I want to devour him. I walk slowly towards him, taking a glance over his body, the one I've missed so much.

"I've missed you…" I say, truth spilling out of me, like always when I'm with him.

"I saw you a few hours ago." He pointed out bashfully. I shake my head, smiling properly now.

"No, I've missed…_you._" I let a finger trail down his throat, it slopes over his prominent adam's apple. Even as a man, colour rushes to his face and I'm reminded of Lottie Charm. But forget about her…she never even existed…it was always Harry…

"Sorry." I say, my hand dropping to my side, lifeless, "You haven't told me your decision yet…"

"Well," He clears his throat, "I think this should answer your question."

A hex? A fist in my face? Maybe a farewell-

A kiss.

An awkward, beautiful, chaotic kiss. And I'm alive, ignited, because here he is, Harry, with his lips against mine. I close my eyes and melt into him, sighing softly as his arms, no longer thin and feminine, but strong and toned snake around me.

All those years, wars of words, wands, they're forgotten. All that is, is now. Is us. And the time stretching ahead of us…so much time. I can feel my tears seeping through my closed eyelids but hardly notice them. It's so strange to feel so many different things…light and dark, hot and cold…so strange…

We break apart, and his breath mingles with mine, my nose nudging his.

"Good answer." I whisper.

"Thanks." He grins, beautiful, stunning, mine.

"I've never been so happy." I gush, without even thinking.

"Aw Malfoy," He says jokingly, as his hand trails through my hair, "Don't be such a girl…"

And I can feel his smile against mine as we share another kiss, tainted with something I can only describe as victory.

* * *

**I just want to say thanks to everyone. This is the most popular story I've written (yet ;D) and it's been such an achievement to get all those story/author alerts and favourite story/author notations.  
**

**I'd like to thank my friends: Carrie, Bex, Stoof and Eleanob (Sorry Ellie lol) because you all gave me ideas and inspiration and also kept screaming at me for the next chapters. Also thanks to _everyone_ who's left me reviews! (over 200!! Whoaaa) I really appreciate it. Especially to Rika's Grey Wolf because your's were always the longest! ****lol! **

**I know I haven't won an Oscar or anything, but without you guys, whats the point of writing a story? So it's only polite to say Thanks!  
**

**Anyway, don't collapse into tears yet- there's still the Epilogue! ;D**

**Caspre. x**


	18. Epilogue

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**Epilogue**

* * *

**Bittersweet**

A false challenge,

An abandoned duel,

I'd pissed myself off,

Because I'd waited for you,

An abandoned corridor,

Your arm pinning me down,

A whisper of magic,

And a girl is found.

-x-

Complete disbelief,

As I recognized this curse,

The fact that you'd won,

Just made it all worse,

The indignant anger,

Made up my mind,

You were my target,

Hate and Love interwined.

-x-

At first it was easy,

I owned the room,

And it was dully effortless,

To be noticed by you,

But then it struck,

When before I was unconcerned,

I had fallen for you,

And the tables had turned.

-x-

Not much was different,

Except you'd stolen my game,

I didn't even realize,

That our plans were the same,

Cunning double-crossing,

Confusion and cheats,

Only added to the bittersweet heat.

-x-

And now it is finished,

But not how I'd expected,

Fate took a sharp turn,

Our futures re-directed,

With a new outlook on life,

A different purpose and meaning,

Because I still lie in your arms,

Convinced that I'm dreaming...

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**The End!**

* * *

**I've never had so much fun writing a fanfiction! Just humiliating Pansy Parkinson was awesome but also I got to explore the sexy world of Draco Malfoy! ;D**

**Again, thanks so much for your reviews, your support and for just _reading _it I guess!**

**If you haven't reviewed yet, but you read the whole thing, I'd appreciate it if you dropped me a line. Equivalent Exchange, y'know? I write you a story, you tell me what you think!**

**Aaand one last favor to ask: There's a poll on my page asking how you liked this fic- I'm not gonna say 'DO IT!!' but I'd love to have some statistical feedback!**

**_Final Disclaimer: Hogwarts, Harry and his friends and all other aspects of the wizarding world belong to J.K.Rowling. Except the Bitch-Spell and the curse used to change Harry into a babe-THOSE are mine! (grins) Also the poem above are not song lyrics, that's my work. So don't get in a tizzy about it ok?  
_**

**Cheers readers, I love you as always. **

**Caspre ****x**

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